Artist: Rowdy Cowlick
Title: Caitlyn Smith
Description: One of a kind Keep A Breast cast sculpture
Year created: 2020
Medium: Plaster base and artist materials
Edition: 1 of 1
Height (inches): 14
Width (inches): 14
Depth (inches): 15
Signed by the artist
Signed Area: back
Description of piece:
One of a kind Keep A Breast cast of Caitlyn Smith painted by Rowdy Cowlick.
Artist bio:
BUST: CAITLYN SMITH "My grandmother beat breast cancer when I was a kid, so early on, I was taught how important it is to stay aware, and on top of your exams. It was so special to be a part of the Keep A Breast casting - and even more special that we were able to do the cast just days before I gave birth to my second child. Our bodies are beautiful gifts, and we need to take care of them the best we can, the KAB castings are such a wonderful way to be reminded of that. Also, I’m blown away by the beautiful, embroidered blazer that Hilary Corts designed and created for this cast and am so very honored to be a part of such a creative and important project."
ARTIST: ROWDY COWLICK "I was a teenager at Warped Tour when I first found Keep A Breast. As the child of a breast cancer survivor, their mission really spoke to me. Now I'm a previvor to the disease, and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to use my art to help raise awareness among young people. Breast cancer doesn't discriminate against age, race, or gender, which is why it's so important for all of us to make preventive action part of the conversation. About the piece: The blazer features chainstitch embroidery of passion flowers, coneflowers, and honey bees. Both official state wildflowers of Tennessee, passion flowers and coneflowers (echinacea), have a long history of use for relieving anxiety/insomnia and boosting the immune system, respectively. Tennessee's state insect is the honey bee, which is vital to the ecosystem, in addition to creating a product (honey) with a wide variety of uses. The embroidered panels inside the cast feature answers to the question, "what is one word you'd use to describe your experience with cancer?" Answers were given anonymously by people in the young breast cancer community, by way of The Breasties."