“Transitioning Through the Pane”, is the deepest and most poignant piece of art that my soul has produced thus far.  I am beyond honored to have partnered with COLONTOWN www.colontown.org, to donate 100% of the profits of this emotionally inspired painting to support the extraordinary efforts of this amazing organization. Your support is greatly appreciated as all the money raised from the sale of this painting will go on, in perpetuity, to support the works of this outstanding nonprofit organization.

COLONTOWN is an online community of more than 100 support groups for colorectal cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers.  If you or your loved one is facing a colon cancer diagnosis, you can join groups based on your stage of disease, specific types of treatment, and special interests—such as colorectal cancer clinical trials, young-onset colorectal cancer, and local support groups. The groups, which are called neighborhoods, are led by Neighborhood Hosts, themselves living the experience.  In addition to their online community, COLONTOWN offers free educational resources designed for colorectal cancer patients and caregivers.  You can learn at your own pace at COLONTOWN University, where you’ll find Learning Centers on topics such as CRC 101 for newly diagnosed patients and Clinical Trials Basics for those searching for clinical trials.  Attend one of COLONTOWN’s Doc Talks, live Zoom sessions with leading colorectal cancer doctors and researchers, to learn about the latest in treatment options and research advancements.

I would like to share my individual thoughts and further insight behind my inspiration for “Transitioning Through the Pane”, which helped me process my own, great personal loss and fatefully became the pivotal piece in leading me back to my deep-rooted passion for painting.  Distraught, angered, and scared, I tried to navigate through my husband’s transition into hospice, while also imagining my uncertain future alone.  These were the deepest and darkest moments I have ever experienced.  At this time when I was unable to express my thoughts and feelings with words, art became my therapy, an unspoken language.  I chose charcoal for this piece to convey a solitary moment of deep introspection and contemplation about this life-altering transition—omitting color, as there was seemingly no joy to be found.  I was clearly in unfamiliar territory with no guidance, until I stumbled across COLONTOWN.  My only regret is that I wish I had known about them sooner.

The fragile woman staring out the window, finally has a moment to rest after years of being a caregiver.  Gaunt, drained, and utterly depleted, her body and emotions withered over the course of this exhausting three-year ordeal, and coming to terms with the inevitable loss of her husband to this terrible disease. She sits alone deep in her thoughts at her favorite spot looking toward the window, trying to envision a future she cannot imagine, but knows she must soon face. Her frail finger points in the direction of the window, a future uncertain, however, she is comforted by the familiarities of their beautiful home. 

This piece goes much deeper than just the image; it is an intimate tale of a woman caught between two realities.  The existing reality of caring for her husband and witnessing his suffering and overall changes caused by colon cancer.  Additionally, being isolated from family and friends during the dark days of Covid.  She simultaneously realizes that this isn’t ONLY about his transition out of this world ending his pain and suffering, but also about her own transition from the partnership of a happily married team to becoming a lonely widow.  This inconceivable new reality looms just outside the hazy pane of that window.  She is afraid to face this next phase of her life and all its uncertainties alone.  Thankfully, she was not alone, she had found the incredible support system—she had found COLONTOWN.  A community who offered tremendous encouragement and education, giving her the strength and knowledge to get through this unimaginably difficult time.  She had found her people.  It is for this reason, that I felt a calling to offer my God-given talents and collaborate with this amazing organization and the caring individuals who selflessly give their time.  Through their talents and resources, they provide tremendous help to so many in need of comfort and counsel as they face the challenges that accompany this awful disease.

"Transitioning Through the Pane" is an invitation for anyone standing at the threshold of change to find the wisdom to accept that, what was—is not what will be.  I gently urge you to adjust your lens and reframe your thoughts to see past the fog and haze of the window itself.  I prayerfully suggest that you focus instead on the light coming through the window—to trust and have faith that there is a new and bright future awaiting you.  Only then will you manage to release the pain of the past and fear of the future.  Believe that you have within you the courage and strength to confront the unfamiliar, and to be open to the possibility of rediscovering another beautiful, stronger, resilient version of yourself.

Thank you for allowing me to share my own personal story of “Transitioning Though the Pane”.  Again, I encourage you to join me in our united efforts to bring more awareness to the heroic work that COLONTOWN provides to so many affected by the wide-ranging effects of colon cancer.  Please visit my website https://www.monicatwiggfineart.com/ for more information about and links to COLONTOWN.