Artist Statement

I created this painting after my 11th procedure in one year. My pancreatic journey is the inspiration for this painting. Notice the islet cell in under the rainbow. The islet cell transplant is my “pot of gold”...The green section is a leaf, representing life. The stained glass effect is my perception of the stained glass chapel at Baylor University Medical Center where I spent many of hours praying, crying, thanking God for the gifts he has given me and wondering what my future held ...The copper looking thing is an old tattooing gun. When my journey ends, I want to tiger lily tattoo to cover my scars. The top left corner is about the earth meeting the rainbow. The copper invading the rainbow is because I like copper and not gold and I found my treasures in the height in my rainbow, at the peak of my storm and not at the end of my rainbow. My treasures are not things of this earth. This painting was created using only knives and syringes. “Gifts” was inspired by the work of Dr. David E.R. Sutherland of the University in Minnesota, Head of Transplantation. It was created in his honor and gifted to him.