EXPRESSION IS THE BEST MEDICINE
Exhibit Artists
Grace Rose Bauer
Grace Rose is a 14 year old Designer, Advocate and Performing Arts student.
Grace Rose has Cystic Fibrosis; however, rather than let it get her down, she has taken a more proactive approach in helping the researchers find a cure, through fashion. She has hosted a Fashion Fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis every year since she was born. For the 10th Annual event, Grace Rose designed the entire collection. The clothes were auctioned off, however, people wanted to buy more and continue to support her cause. She started a website and a small clothing collection called Rosie G and hasn’t looked back.
The clothing line is currently sold at Nordstrom Department Store as well as several other boutiques around the country. The clothing sales give a portion back to Cystic Fibrosis research. Her plan is to #cureCF #instyle.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana she moved to Los Angeles after hurricane Katrina. The Rosie G clothing line is inspired by her love for the two cities. It represents casual comfort. Grace Rose carefully selects the fabrics and designs easy going styles. She wants it to be clothing young girls can wear all the time.
The name “Rosie G” comes from her alter ego. Ever since Grace Rose was little she’d put on lip gloss, get dressed up and sing and dance in the mirror. Everyone would say "oh look, here comes Rosie G." She often channels that “performer” when she is doing interviews, events or simply encouraging other young girls to pursue their dreams.
Grace Rose’s message is simple; “Everyone has something to deal with, you might as well deal with it in style!”
Mallory Smith
Mallory Smith, a 24-year-old CF patient, uses writing as a tool for healing and as a way to educate others about cystic fibrosis.
Mallory graduated from Stanford University in 2014 with a B.A. in Human Biology and a concentration in environmental anthropology. During her time in college, she studied photography, documentary film, radio production, creative nonfiction writing, and journalism, searching for the best way to make an impact in the areas that matter to her.
While she started out writing mostly about social and environmental issues, her passion for personal journaling and a desire to explore the complex feelings that come from living with a life-threatening illness led her to start blogging about her experience with cystic fibrosis. She hopes one day to write a memoir that raises awareness about invisible illness and the importance of organ donation.
Mallory was diagnosed with CF at age 3, and was colonized with Burkholderia cenocepacia when she was 11. During her increasingly frequent periods of illness, writing helps her mine purpose and meaning from times of hardship and fear.
Mallory moved from California to Pittsburgh in early 2017 to await a double-lung transplant at UPMC. She's now working on a campaign called #Lunges4Lungs to raise money for anti-rejection research.
contact: mallorybsmith@gmail.com
In her memory, please consider a donation to #Lunges4Lungs Efforts go toward transplant research through the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's new transplant initiative.
On November 15, the world lost Mallory Smith, a beautiful soul, talented writer, and inspiration to the many lives she touched.
Mallory was a driving force in launching ArtHealingArtists, bringing together fellow artists living with Cystic Fibrosis. Her writing provides a powerful lens through which others can better understand the lives of people living with an incurable illness.
We are grateful to Mallory for her wisdom and perspective. Much of her work can be viewed
Russie Sanders
I have a sensitive nature, and throughout life, I have used photography as my muse. It is my responsibility as an artist to educate the public through my imagery.
My niece, Ellie, is 6 years old. She was diagnosed with CF at 3 months. I have watched her struggle with the disease since. We are from a small town, where people just do not understand the reality of CF. I soon grew angry at this and have been trying to educate the community on CF for a couple of years. I recently went back to school and earned my MFA at AAU. As an artist, it is my responsibility to educate the public through imagery, and that is what I have set out to do. This project is ongoing, and the goal here is to show people the reality of the disease while also empowering those already involved. Throughout the experience, I have worked with artists, musicians, surfers, and so much more. It is time this disease found a cure, and the more this project grows, the more passionate I get to bring awareness.
My best,
Russie Sanders
Keely Martin
My name is Keely Martin, and I’m a 15 year old filmmaker in high school. I live in Los Angeles and I aspire to be a successful writer / director.
I make short films and music videos to express my art. Usually, I write the story, direct and shoot it, and edit it myself. I like being involved in all of the aspects of filmmaking and I enjoy taking part in every step in the process. I grew up watching classic movies every day. My dad is a director and my mom is a movie fan too, so I was exposed to all different genres. That’s where my passion started.
I have a mild case of cystic fibrosis. I need to do treatments and take special medication daily, but my disease does not determine what I can and cannot do with my life. My art makes me look at the world in a different perspective, and it makes me feel blessed that I am able to do what I love. Filmmaking brings out all of the positivity within myself, and it truly makes me a happier person. I would be very lost without it.
I get inspiration simply from my own life experiences and the experiences that happen around me. I’m constantly getting new material for scripts when I spend time with my friends and new people that I meet along the way. I feel like my writing is better when it is real, and when many people can relate to it. The voice of a teenager is sometimes commercialized in big blockbuster films, so my goal is to create new worlds that real kids can connect to, so that they feel like they are living through my films. I just want to be a genuine voice for this generation.
Rowan O'Bryan
My name is Rowan O'Bryan, Im 17 years old, I attend Ramon C Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts. And I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when I was 3 months old. I have always been involved in the arts since kindergarden. I focus on Dance, Theater, Fine Arts, and Photography. Fine Arts, like painting and drawing have become more approachable to me because my CF doesn't interfere with it, unlike dancing which can be very hard on my stamina. Art for everyone is a great form of therapy. I can do it pretty much whenever I want and it makes me happy, makes me believe that I can be good at something without having setbacks due to my health.
Olivia Davis
I started writing songs my senior year of high school, and since then, it has grown from just a hobby, into my passion. Songwriting is a powerful outlet for me to express the complicated emotions that come along with living with CF. I write a lot about claiming my identity and celebrating the preciousness of life. In fall of 2013, I had to leave school at UCSB because of health complications with my CF. When I started feeling better, I decided that instead of going back to school, I needed to start doing what I love and sharing it with the people I love. Since then, I've recorded two albums, and I've been writing songs and performing around the Bay Area. I also sing and speak at CF fundraisers to raise awareness. I've realized that this is what I want to do with my life - inspire other people with life threatening illnesses, and raise awareness about CF and chronic disease. It is hard to communicate the full experience of living with a life threatening illness, but using art and music to do this is so healing and fulfilling.
Best, Olivia
Caleigh Haber
Caleigh always sees the brightest side of life. She was born with Cystic Fibrosis, but spent her childhood living a healthy and active life. As a result of the disease's progression, she underwent a double lung transplant in October 2015, but struggled with complications.
Caleigh moved to San Francisco to attend culinary school and make Stanford Hospital her CF adult clinic. In 2018, she moved to Los Angeles where she recently underwent a second lung transplant at UCLA medical center. Caleigh lives a successful life achieving new goals every day; including chronicling her journey on her blog wwwfiqht2breathe.org, since 2013 as well as beginning her own legacy through her foundation. Caleigh shares her stories and tries to inspire others to live positively. She also expresses herself and how she feels about her CF struqqles throuqh paintinq. She uses vibrant colors and paints around themes like "Stop and Smell the Roses . ..Just Breathe ... Happ4Happ4Happ4 ... " Her paintinq also reflect times when she struqqles hardest with the disease.
Dominic Quagliozzi
My work looks at different facets of disease. I was born with a genetic disease, Cystic Fibrosis (CF), which primarily affects the lungs and requires many hospitalizations and treatments. In June of 2015, after a 3.5 year wait, I received a double lung transplant. With the use of painting, drawing, video and performance I take an autobiographical starting point to discuss life with a disease, body issues, humor amongst seriousness, and the social issues of illness.
Because I am in and out of the hospital so often (4-5 times a year for 2-3 weeks each time), I have found that my hospital room becomes my surrogate studio. I have made as much art in the hospital as I have made in my studio. Being able to create anywhere I am helps with the continuity of my life- my life feels less disjointed when I can filter my experience through art
As Cystic Fibrosis advanced the deterioration of my lungs and I became less physically able, I transitioned my art practice to involve video art and performance. These mediums have helped me make art during times when I was more sick and rundown, allowing me to use my body and my circumstances firsthand in those very moments.
Dominic Quagliozzi is 34 years old, living and working in Los Angeles, CA. He holds a BA in Sociology from Providence College and a MFA in Studio Arts from Cal State University, Los Angeles. He has exhibited work in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Providence and Denmark.
Dominic Quagliozzi
Contact Info:
508-769-8659
Sophia Chavez
Sophia enjoys painting as a hobby and started painting when she was a toddler.
She currently takes classes every year in summertime. She also makes crafts and enjoys creating her own natural-home-made facial and body scrubbers.
Sophia believes that "fear" is a factor that should be controlled by you- not a feeling that controls your life.
