This is Why We Make Art
The Jacqueline Carmody Creative Artist Award 2025
The Jacqueline Carmody Creative Artist Award is one of the most meaningful recognitions we give at Twist Out Cancer. It’s named for Jackie Carmody — our Director of Twistshops, art therapist, and someone who has been part of this community since 2013.
Jackie has always embodied what we hold most dear here: a creative spirit, trust and willingness, and genuine connection. This award exists because of who she is, and we only give it to someone who reflects those same qualities.
This year’s recipient came to Brushes with Cancer and jumped in with both feet. After being paired with Merton in our winter program, Matt immediately signed up for our Miami program in partnership with the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center. His Inspiration, Meredith, was hospitalized and passed away during the program. The way Matt held space for her story, honored her experience, and carried her with him through the creative process — and was even able to share the completed piece with her before she passed — is exactly what this award is about.
Here is the beautiful speech Matt gave at our Brushes with Cancer event last month in Chicago.
“Patty Eckerle is why I’m here tonight…for so many reasons. She is the sweetest, kindest, most selfless person I’ve ever known. She’s also the smallest and by far the strongest. I could stand a foot over her and she could bring me to my knees with 3 simple words. ‘Matthew…Gerard…Eckerle’…and if you’ve ever been called by your first middle and last name…you know what I’m talking about. She had cancer…I’ll say that again…she HAD cancer but cancer never had her. It affected her physical being but it could never touch her capacity to love and because of that, it’s and honor to call her my hero, it’s an honor to represent her here tonight, and it’s always been an honor to call her ‘mom’.
It’s also an absolute honor to be in front of such a brave and inspiring group of individuals. The inspirations…whose title is so incredibly just and well deserved…for courageously telling your story with all of us and allowing us to see beyond the diagnosis and allowing us to see the person. And the artists who willingly accepted the enormous task of sharing these stories, the only way you know how…through you work. Aesthetically, the work is incredible, but knowing the delicacy in how you skillfully handled the work with creativity and empathy is what makes the works beautiful.
I would love to personally thank you all for all that you have given to this experience…time shared connecting, planning and preparing, time shared in executing and creating, and now the time of sharing the culmination your joint efforts and sharing your story, your connection, your life and your love. Thank you.
I’d also love to thank all involved with Twist out Cancer organization. When I decided to get into a life in the Arts i didn’t know what kind of opportunities would be in my future but i could not have dreamt of a more life changing opportunity or a community that is more life affirming.
It is one of my greatest honors to be a part of the Twist out family. I’d love to thank MY inspirations that I’ve met through this program…my man Mert who reminds me every day that we have a lot of life to live and a lot of love to give and of course our angel Meredith who I was able to share our completed piece created through our connection days before she passed but who continually reminds me to make each pulse remarkable.
I’d love to thank my amazing support system back home, family, friends, co-teachers and students, and especially my beautiful wife Gina and amazing gift of a daughter Grace…everything begins and ends with them, their blessing, their support, their presence. Because of them I’m a lucky lucky man. Finally, I’d love to thank one man who has been with me since the first days of my artistic journey…my high school art teacher Mr. Tim Haders who since the first days of his class preached to me the importance of a creative spirit, of trust, of willingness, and the importance of artistic connection.
This is why we make Art. THIS is why we do ANYTHING. When I found that I was gifted this award, I told him ‘Timmy…you were right…and it was so worth it.’”
See his past work here:
