Breast Pockets

These are my contributions to Melanie Testa's "Breast Pocket Project"

Melanie's goal is to collect 1000 pockets for this project to raise awareness for those of us who decide against reconstructing our bodies. This all began with a challenge from a reporter, "If you can get 1000 pockets, contact me, we will try to do a story."

My pockets are made from fabric that was trimmed from a garment I reconstructed to wear for my debut "as just me" when I was a featured artist for Gallery Stroll weekend at Good Good's Gallery in Saugatuck, Michigan recently. There were several compliments about what I was wearing. I doubt my lack of breasts was noticed ... even my husband didn't take, nor make note, of it.

Standing next to two of the Orange/Gray series pieces

"After the Storm"

"At the Break of Day"

The patchwork of that fabric which I cut off-grain represents the skewed journey through the experience of having and being treated for cancer. I made this one fastened with an old brass button with "1" imprinted on it especially for Melanie ...

Each of these has the name of my friends as well as my mother, sister, and myself written on the back. I've also slipped a note inside the pocket ... a message of hope and well being sent out into the universe for each of us.

Melanie wrote an interesting article about "living as a flat chested woman after breast cancer." The link is here.

My cyber friend, Gail, has honored me by making 2 pockets with my name on them. Go to her blog, Expression Studio, to see them and read her wonderful post. The pocket I made for her is the one in the lower left corner of the photo above of all the pockets.