By Heather Matthews
Staff Writer

Every two minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. According to www.breastcancer. org, in 2005, it is estimated that about 270,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed.

With this in mind, Pam Tarbell and fi ve New England artists have joined together to present “Moving On … A Breast Cancer Survivor’s Art Exhibit II” at the Mill Brook Gallery and Sculpture Garden in Concord. The second annual show will be displayed until Oct. 29.

Featuring new works of art by breast cancer survivors, Tarbell, owner of the gallery, said the show aims to promote awareness of the disease, while allowing the artists to work through their struggles with breast cancer. Artists include Laura Davidson of Boston; Judith Shah of Portsmouth; Sandy Sorter of Windham; and two Concord artists, Ingrid Dinter and Susan Wood Reider.

Ingrid Dinter creates pieces that speak to one’s inner strength
Moved by the meaning behind the artwork, last year Dinter, 40, attended the opening of the fi rst “Moving On” exhibit, and even purchased a piece from the exhibit. Although she did not have breast cancer, the work spoke to her, demonstrating the true strength and spirit of women.

“I was so blown away,” she said. “I had goosebumps.”

Ingrid Dinter believes a piece of jewelry must match the unique personality of its owner. Since jewelry is usually kept for life, the piece should refl ect the inner strength and beauty of its owner, she said. This ring she created for herself in response to her struggle with breast cancer. She said it demonstrates both her vulnerability and strength during the chemotherapy treatments and healing process.

A few days later, Dinter was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now in remission, Oct. 7 marked not only the opening reception of “Moving On II,” a celebration of months of preparation and work on her jewelry collection, it was also the one-year anniversary of Dinter’s diagnosis.

“Moving On” features several handmade silver and gold jewelry pieces created by Dinter, who received formal training as a goldsmith in Cologne, Germany, where she once lived. Each piece was created after a six-month struggle with chemotherapy and its effects. The centerpiece of her collection is a ring, which she called “Pretending to Be Strong.”

The fi ne silver ring, although thick and seemingly strong, is light, soft and smooth.The delicate pearl of the ring, in stark contrast to the ring’s thick band, is unprotected and vulnerable. Dinter said this ring was made as a representation of her state of mind during her fi ght with cancer. Although, she appeared strong, she often felt very vulnerable and delicate.

“Its vulnerability is screaming in your face,” she said. “There is no doubt about the power behind this piece.”

Creating works that speak to an individual’s character and inner strength is very important to Dinter. Everything she creates is unique because she hand forms each piece.

While she creates a piece specifi - cally to fi t the style of each one of her clients, she still puts a bit of herself into each of her piece’s style as well – keeping each one simple, yet elegant, strong, yet feminine.

Although her work is simple, lacking fl ourishes some jewelry has, each side, angle and section of a piece of Dinter’s jewelry is beautifully polished, sculpted and designed, even the backsides no one usually sees.

“I create wearable sculpture,” said Dinter. “It’s beautiful on all sides. Each piece really stands for itself. Art is something you live with. It’s part of you. My work shows people how to live with art, how to be surrounded by it. It opens doors to let people be who they are – very unique and very special.”

In her second battle with breast cancer, Susan Wood Reider hopes to learn more about herself through her art
Between 1996 and 1998, Reider, her mother and her younger sister were all diagnosed with breast cancer. The three women struggled through the disease together, being a system of strength and support throughout the chemotherapy treatments, the medical examinations and the long road to recovery.

Susan Wood Reider’s artwork ‘Honors the Journey

In 1998, Reider’s mother passed away and Reider took a yearlong break from art. She knew that once she returned, her work would focus on her experiences with cancer.

“As soon as I got my art legs back, I wanted to honor my mother,” she said.

Reider went on to create a series of giclee prints called “Strange Gifts” in 2001. The project won a grant through her home state of Tennessee and was honored with an International Healing Arts award from the Society for Arts and Health Care.

Reider moved to Concord in 2003 and later became one of the driving forces behind the creation of the “Moving On” exhibit. In the fi rst exhibit, held last fall, Reider displayed her award winning project, “Strange Gifts.” This year, Reider exhibits a new project inspired by her relapse of breast cancer last winter.

“It’s different the second time around. I’m more subdued and refl ective. (The work) is a chance to refl ect and just make sense of what happened. I’m still trying to do that,” said Reider. “This project is a little more open ended than the last – a work in progress, which is me.”

This time Reider took only a short break from her art work, using it as a healing tool, delving into each of the pieces.

“Each piece is like its own little world and functions like its own little retreat,” she said.

The small, mixed media collages, each created on the cover of old leather books, are a testament to things that interest Reider, as well as empower her. They feature text, as well as miniature versions of several of the giclee prints. Each piece is a story about Reider’s journey through cancer and healing. While she went into the her fi rst series knowing what she wanted the work to say, she also went into this series hoping to learn more about herself.

“I just let the pieces evolve,” she said. “I want to see what they have to show me.”

Although the cancer journey was her inspiration, Reider’s said her work does not have to be read as simply a project on breast cancer.

“Everybody has a journey,” she said. “Art is certainly healing to anyone. I just don’t want to defi ne myself as a breast cancer survivor artist. Nevertheless, I own that now, it is a part of who I am.”

For more information on the exhibit or the gallery, visit the Mill Brook’s Web site at www.millbrookgallery. com.

For more information on Dinter’s jewelry, visit her Web site www.dinterfi neart.com. For more information on Reider, visit www. honorthejourney.com.

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