LIHU‘E — While touring the Kaua‘i Society of Artists’ exhibition space, Maureen Macart stops in front of a piece of carved lava rock. “The artist said it was a self-portrait, but then she just couldn’t go there,” Macart said. “Having
LIHU‘E — While touring the Kaua‘i Society of Artists’ exhibition space, Maureen Macart stops in front of a piece of carved lava rock.
“The artist said it was a self-portrait, but then she just couldn’t go there,” Macart said. “Having to shave your head, I can relate.”
In 2007, Macart was diagnosed with Stage 2B Lymphoma. Unable to receive treatment on-island, the then-25-year-old flew to California and spent three years under the care of doctors at the Stanford University Medical Clinic.
While undergoing radiation treatment, Macart was forced to shave her long, thick, curly locks.
“Losing my hair, it’s so superficial to be worried about, but to be honest, that was my first apprehension,” Macart said. “I felt really self-conscious because my hair was short. That’s what my artwork is about, just being OK with everything.”
Macart currently has three pieces on display at the KSA “Sticks and Stones” exhibit at Kukui Grove Center. Artists were asked to submit pieces made out of natural elements. While most of the entries played off of the popular children’s rhyme and explored themes of bullying, isolation and name-calling, Macart took a different route.
Her sand and red dirt creations, “Erosion,” “Together” and “Seat 4,” are inspired by her three-year battle with cancer.
“I stuck with the theme of resilience with most of my pieces,” she said. “I found after everything with my cancer treatment I just don’t have physical resilience. That is what these pieces are about — acknowledging my own lack of resilience.”
Macart used elements from her favorite places in her art — sand from Molokini beach, driftwood from Wailua and red dirt from a Kealia trail.
The largest of the three pieces, “Together,” is a gender-neutral portrait of a person. In the palm of each hand, Macart placed her own wisdom teeth.
“I wanted something of me in the piece,” she said. “I wanted to offer my wisdom, and I literally did it.”
After three years of treatment, Macart’s doctors thought they successfully removed of her cancer cells. As she was preparing to move home, an x-ray revealed an infection in her teeth. At the recommendation of her doctors, she had them removed.
While in California, Macart found the best form of prevention against infection was her diet. It was also the only aspect of her body she had control over. She switched to an organic diet containing no added sugar or hormones.
“I decided to take it upon myself to heal myself,” she said. “The Hawaiian culture is so new to the American diet, we are all the more susceptible. That’s what I want to raise awareness about. It’s so soon to have these things like SPAM introduced to us. It’s causing a lot of things like cellulitis and cancer, and reasons to make this art in the first place.”
In “Erosion,” a swirling waterfall made out of red dirt is washing over the roots of a tree.
“It conveys the strength of roots. Anything can be washing through here, yet it’s just our roots that hold us together.”
Macart’s smallest piece, “Seat 4,” is an ode to her spot on the Kawaikini paddling team.
“I came back to Kaua‘i in September, after treatment. Getting back into the river and being in my seat — seat four, which they call the power position because you are pulling the whole boat — I felt like I did before I left in the first place.”
Next month, Macart is scheduled to fly to California to for a follow-up appointment to see if her cancer returned.
“I’m just happy to maybe have a tomorrow. If something happened to me today, at least I’ve gotten back to Kaua‘i. As long as I get to go swimming every day, as long as I get into the boat, as long as I do art — I’m happy.”
‘Sticks and Stones’ runs through March 25 at the KSA Gallery at Kukui Grove Center. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and closes 8 p.m. on Fridays. Visit www.art-ksa.com for more information about the exhibit.
