Carefree Artist: A Holiday Message from a Grieving Artist

11/17/21

A Holiday Message from a Grieving Artist

This year I'm not creating or sending out holiday cards for the first time in 40 years. When my beautiful and beloved wife Donna died in my arms from hereditary cancer in June after a courageous battle against the heinous disease, my heart was irreparably broken and my creativity and joy disappeared into a black hole of unbearable grief. However, I would like to leave you with something to think about at this time of year, and to remind everyone that love, empathy, thoughtfulness, fierce compassion for others, and the courage to show up and speak up can prevent unnecessary suffering and the needless loss of a precious life.

One of my wife's favorite holiday movies was It's a Wonderful Life, so here's a paraphrased line from the movie to reflect upon...

“Strange, isn’t it? Each person’s life touches so many other lives. And when that person isn’t around they leave an awful hole, don’t they?”

Please join with me by opening up your hearts and wallets to honor and help patients and families dealing with the literal hell of cancer this holiday season...

FacingOurRisk.org

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Cancer Support Community Arizona

Breast Cancer Research Foundation

BrightPink.org

BRCAStrong

My wife's memorial tribute page at FacingOurRisk.org

If I had a flower for every time I thought of you...I could walk through my garden forever.
-- Alfred Lord Tennyson

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The Carefree Artist is about my artistic endeavors and adventures as a professional freelance creative. Posts might feature a cartoon, or a recently published illustration from a book or magazine assignment, or an original piece of art that I might be selling to try and raise funds for my art supply donation project. All with an emphasis on originality.

Why did I name this journal the Carefree Artist*? Actually, it’s really just a wishful sentiment. A professional life in the arts, mine included, is usually anything but carefree. But oh, how wonderful it would be to really be a carefree artist! Living the simple life in a quiet and inspiring location and creating a ton of art just for art's sake!

The name was also inspired by the Carefree Highway. A road that played an important role in my life... More about this journal's name at the bottom of this page.

Please see my website, MARKiX.net, for more info and more samples of my work.

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A Note from the Artist...

As you look around this blog you can’t help but notice a distinct change in the artwork and the tone of the content over the past few years. There’s a good reason for this -- being a cancer caregiver and then the death of my wife due to hereditary cancer. A cancer that was preventable.

I never wanted this blog to be a place where I unloaded anger and sadness because of cancer and grief. I had other plans, more lighthearted and whimsical. But when you have the love of your life take their last breath in your arms because vital genetic info was not shared, it changes everything.

So, I have chosen to use my humble little corner of the world to speak up about hereditary cancer awareness and the unbearable heartache of the untimely loss of a loved one.


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	First (and Last) Contact


	Drawing Science


	Award-winning Junior Ranger Book


	La Fiesta, NOT Tijuana


	Depressed Post-Impressionist Not Impressed


	A Bad Head Day


	Meet Dusty Pack

11/17/21

A Holiday Message from a Grieving Artist

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And no, I do not live in Carefree, Arizona. I live in Phoenix. Land values in Carefree are, unfortunately, not particularly friendly for those pursuing freelance artistic endeavors.