Artist Penny Kember, who paints under the name Merthyr Ruxton, will open a new exhibition this week at the Railway St Studios in Newmarket, Auckland.
Following her own diagnosis and recovery from breast cancer some years ago Penny has generously agreed to donate a portion of the sales proceeds to the Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC).
Immediately after her treatment Penny simply wanted to put it all behind her.
She says, “I just wanted it all to be over and to be able to move on with my life; so I did.”
But she acknowledges the remarkable care and support she received and she felt there was a debt there and she wanted to repay that somehow.
Penny explains, “What I learnt from having breast cancer was that I had to rid myself of things that woke me up in the night. I moved to the country and started painting again after a break of 10 years. It was liberating and I suspect it saved my life.
“The ‘Nude with Curtain’ work (pictured right) was part of a series I painted in the year before I found cancer in my breast. Most of the series had an issue with the left breast - it was accentuated in some way.
“Looking at the works later I realised that I should have been more aware on a conscious level what I obviously knew deep down - that something was amiss in that breast. That’s the consciousness raising thing - we live in these bodies that we punish and ignore – and actually, when listened to and well cared for, a body becomes a better host for the spirit.”
Penny’s support will help BCAC to continue providing resources, information and assistance to people with breast cancer and help them make informed choices about their treatment and care.
Opening Night: Thursday 19 February 5:30 – 8 pm
The exhibition runs until March 10 at Railway St Studios, 8 Railway St, Newmarket, Auckland.
For more information about the exhibition please visit www.railwaystreetstudios.co.nz
17 February 2015
