Mom recently found a sketch she began as part of her "art therapy" after Edwin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Swedish Hospital down in Seattle had an amazing art therapist and it included caregivers, so she went every week. Mainly, she recreated the Wildlife Sanctuary using lots of stuff in the therapist's office, spread out all over the floor, and that's how she realized how homesick she was for Bellingham. But across the street was a cafe called "Arosa's" and she had spent 6 months atop a mountain above Arosa, Switzerland meditating back in 1975...so she would go there, get her latte, and just draw. This sketch was called "Oh, Orca, Please Teach Me How to Breathe Underwater" and she
just found and completed it to frame in time for October's fabulous fall First Friday Artwalk at Artisan's. It looks good, too...for once she left it relatively simple, mainly just dark, flowing lines, embellishing only the orca's face. This is how it looked back then, drawn freehand.
She still hasn't learned to breathe underwater. But with a piggie snuggled into the crook of her
neck (like me) or Calvin or Coconut or any of us up close and personal, she is learning to at least BREATHE. WE ARE HER THERAPY PIGS. HER NEXT DRAWING WILL HAVE TO BE OF US! AND EDWIN REMAINS CANCER-FREE!
