“My Left Ear” by Stacy Lynn
I write and I paint to understand myself and the world, to observe, to feel, to breathe, to acknowledge the shadows and see all the light. I write and I paint to be clear-eyed and whole-hearted. I write and I paint to be whole.
To have skin cancer and undergo plastic surgery to repair the damage to my left ear was traumatic, but to paint my experience was my power to face my fears, make my peace, and find humor, grace, and gratitude.
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Stacy Lynn Artist Statement:
Writing is central to who I am as a scholar and as a woman, both a craft of my professional work as a historian and my remedy for being human. Writing is how I communicate my knowledge, and writing is how I make sense of the twisted knots of my grief and uncertainty. Watercolor is the softening, forgiving, surprising yin to the purposeful yang of writing. Before I started to paint, writing carried all the burden to be my solace, but now I have the balance of words and art to lead me forward to a brighter, braver future.
