Charlotte A Bayala and Bari Fleischer
Charlotte A Bayala and Bari Fleischer
Charlotte A Bayala and Bari Fleischer
The Story
Charlotte Bayala
Chicago, Illinois
Caregiver
Inspiration Statement: When my husband was diagnosed with cancer I felt like I was thrown into a real life horror movie. Constantly fearful. Always worried about what was around the next corner. Certain that the next twist would be worse than the last turn.
After over a decade of being his caregiver I’ve learned how to navigate the fear, worry, anger and resentment that comes with caregiving and stubbornly refuse to allow his diagnoses and constant surgeries to dictate my ability to enjoy life with him. Sometimes it takes a lot of work. It’s easy to fall into being a caregiver 100% of the time when caregiving becomes more of a priority. However, what I’ve learned is that living my life to the fullest along with the man I met 35 years ago is worth any amount of effort needed. Loving my life in spite of caregiving is non-negotiable.
Caregiver
Inspiration Statement: When my husband was diagnosed with cancer I felt like I was thrown into a real life horror movie. Constantly fearful. Always worried about what was around the next corner. Certain that the next twist would be worse than the last turn.
After over a decade of being his caregiver I’ve learned how to navigate the fear, worry, anger and resentment that comes with caregiving and stubbornly refuse to allow his diagnoses and constant surgeries to dictate my ability to enjoy life with him. Sometimes it takes a lot of work. It’s easy to fall into being a caregiver 100% of the time when caregiving becomes more of a priority. However, what I’ve learned is that living my life to the fullest along with the man I met 35 years ago is worth any amount of effort needed. Loving my life in spite of caregiving is non-negotiable.
Bari Fleischer
Chicago, Illinois
“Resilience”
30"x22" unframed
$2,500
Artist Statement: Watercolor provides a challenge when working as it requires relinquishing control and has an unpredictable nature about it, just as cancer has similar qualities within our lives. Within this surrender, both artistic with watercolor and healing/coping with cancer, there is a therapeutic power in the process. After hearing a narrative of experience, grief, and action, I created this piece titled Resilience. Charlotte spoke of the Octopus as a creature of protection, strength, and resilience with the ability to grow new arms, protect their young, and have adaptability in complex and challenging situations. This is what she does with her husband. Charlotte is resilient, and resilience is needed when coping and caring for someone with cancer. Using color as a powerful language, watercolor as a representation of relinquishing control, and iconography to represent individual aspects of life, Resilience was created to portray the complexities of coping with cancer as the role of the caregiver. Through this endeavor and creative process, both physical and mental, I learned how to relinquish control through creation while representing the person behind the narrative through symbolism.
“Resilience”
30"x22" unframed
$2,500
Artist Statement: Watercolor provides a challenge when working as it requires relinquishing control and has an unpredictable nature about it, just as cancer has similar qualities within our lives. Within this surrender, both artistic with watercolor and healing/coping with cancer, there is a therapeutic power in the process. After hearing a narrative of experience, grief, and action, I created this piece titled Resilience. Charlotte spoke of the Octopus as a creature of protection, strength, and resilience with the ability to grow new arms, protect their young, and have adaptability in complex and challenging situations. This is what she does with her husband. Charlotte is resilient, and resilience is needed when coping and caring for someone with cancer. Using color as a powerful language, watercolor as a representation of relinquishing control, and iconography to represent individual aspects of life, Resilience was created to portray the complexities of coping with cancer as the role of the caregiver. Through this endeavor and creative process, both physical and mental, I learned how to relinquish control through creation while representing the person behind the narrative through symbolism.