Maria Skaskiw

"Colors"

Watercolor on paper

About four years ago Maria was diagnosed with breast cancer. The diagnosis came just a couple of days after her son, Roman, was deployed to Afghanistan (and later to Iraq). She found herself unable to deal with both events at once, and chose to worry about her son's safety, rather than thinking too much about her cancer.

In the letter that accompanies her submission, Maria says: "Both events came to a happy conclusion, my son returned home safely and my cancer is in remission...I chose (this painting) because of the intensity of the colors, which reflect the intensity of the two experiences that collided in time, and also because, in the aftermath...there is more intense appreciation of every day of life, of my children, of everything. "

We sincerely thank Maria for sharing her painting with us, and for granting us permission to tell her story.