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Caption: Jamie Rawding painted 23 portraits of women who had tattoos after breast cancer surgery. The money she received from her art show went to support Fred Hutch’s cancer research and the portraits went to the cancer survivors. 

Photo courtesy of Jamie Rawding

Healing the scars of breast cancer with art

Jamie Rawding didn’t plan to create a community. She just needed to complete an assignment: paint a self-portrait. The artist was in a three-year intensive program, called an atelier, at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, that trains students in the practice of classical realistic art. 

Twelve years earlier, Rawding had a double mastectomy and reconstruction as part of breast cancer treatment, a process that involved multiple operations. “It’s hard to overstate the psychological impact of breast surgery,” she said. “The female image is so connected with breasts and being feminine and desirable. You’ve lost a part of your body. Every day you walk by the mirror and you don’t want to look. Clearly there was some conflict brewing within me that I hadn’t resolved.” 

She decided to draw her chest, pre- and post-surgeries, and found it cathartic. That began a series of paintings of the female figure and breast cancer. 

For her year-long capstone project, Rawding decided to paint portraits of women whose scars were adorned with tattoos. “Tattoo artists offer women a creative opportunity to feel whole again,” she said.

But first she had to locate survivors who were willing to literally expose themselves. It took patience to find her first model, but when an invitation to participate in Rawding’s project was posted to a Facebook page for survivors, 60 women expressed interest in just five hours. Ultimately, Rawding painted 23 portraits for a series she titled “Reconstruction.”

“My hope was to empower women and let them know they are beautiful, even if they have a different body,” Rawding said. “I’m one of these women, and I needed to know.”

Portrait of breast cancer survivor Liz P. with a tattoo by Athena at Amarok Tattoo Studio in North Dakota

Photo courtesy of Jamie Rawding

Rawding was moved by the vulnerability and bravery of her subjects and their responses to her portraits. “Women told me they were in tears and that it helped them feel beautiful,” she said. “One woman said, ‘I got my sexy back.’”

It also took patience for Rawding to find a gallery owner willing to display her work, but on Oct. 4, 2021, Gray Sky Gallery in Seattle was packed for the opening of “Reconstruction.” Ten of the women Rawding painted traveled to the city for the reception and a ‘meet and greet’ that Rawding’s husband, Michael, hosted so the women would have time to get to know each other. 

“It was so heartwarming,” Rawding said. “We came from completely different backgrounds, but we were from the same tribe and we all knew it.”

Diana Y. with a tattoo by Nicole Elizabeth Laabs

Photo courtesy of Jamie Rawding

The response to the show was overwhelmingly positive — but the paintings weren’t for sale. Instead, Rawding explained that for every donation of $500 or more to Fred Hutch, she would give a painting to the breast cancer survivor she had portrayed. She raised more than $18,000 for the Hutch’s cancer research and was able to gift all 23 paintings. 

Rawding’s passion for finding cancer cures is personal. In 2017, she received a second cancer diagnosis, this time for an incurable form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 

She chose Fred Hutch’s physician-researchers for her care because, she said, “I wanted to be at a place where there are clinical trials, and I knew I would get the best care around. I want to live, and I want to see my grandchildren. I know the people there will help me in this endeavor. I believe them when they say they will find a cure for cancer.”

Two months after her art show, Rawding is still exhilarated.. Even better, she is healthy and says, “I really feel like I’m alive because of everyone at Fred Hutch.” 

Do you have an idea for a creative fundraiser for Fred Hutch? We encourage outside-the-box thinking to support our work to prevent, detect and treat cancer, COVID-19 and other diseases. You’ll find everything you need for a successful event on our Fundraise for Fred Hutch website.

— By Lesley Reed