Katie Carney:

Katie Carney, a native of San Diego, discovered her artistic strength two years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 38. “My whole life has been changed by one word and that is Cancer,” Katie says. And indeed it had. Katie and her husband lost their hair salon-gallery a few months prior, a mastectomy followed, then a series of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Katie’s biggest release during the extremely trying times was painting. “All my feelings and emotions came pouring out of me and I put it all down on canvas,” the artist shares with us. Out of the pain grew out a new mission—to share the experience with all other women going through the same painful journey. No woman dealing with cancer is alone in her emotions, and Katie Carnie’s series “What Lies Beneath” reminds us of that.

“’What Lies Beneath’ is me completely exposed. I no longer live under the surface; I have a voice. Through my art I want to encourage people to be proactive in their health. A mammogram saved my life and I believe it can save many others. Breast cancer has many faces and some are young. I invite everyone to take a journey with me, look, and see, but most of all FEEL.”

Katie Carney’s message, the boldness, honesty, and directness of her work resonate beyond the surface of her canvas. Her work makes the viewer confront the reality of cancer, whether having experienced it or not, and reflect upon his or her own stance.