On December 2013, Ana Fe A. Ruiz got diagnosed with breast cancer stage 3B. Here’s her story about how she overcame breast cancer, turned to painting, and many other amazing things.

My friends and colleagues call me Anne. I work as a full time Admin & Finance Head Officer for a non-government organization or NGO (a charity foundation) in Cebu City. I’ve been working with the NGO  for five years now. I’m really honored to be a part of the organization because our vision in Mercy in Action Cebu is “to see an end to the abandonment, abuse and trafficking of children, and to see their lives restored and their communities transformed.”

Fighting Cancer

The journey while having my treatment against breast cancer for six months wasn’t really easy, but I never lost hope. While fighting the battle, I relied on God for His daily miracle in her life. Having faith in God wasn’t a wasted action, for I am now a five-year cancer survivor.

How did I sustain myself more to continually fight the battle? Practically, I decided to get back to my hobby, which is doing the artworks. After six months of treatment, I started to paint. The first eight paintings I’ve done were really just an outlet to blow off some steam and enjoy the relief after the hard days I’ve been through in my life.

Getting Into Painting

How did I get into painting? I am a self-taught painter and relied mainly on watching YouTube “how to paint” videos to teach me the basics of painting including development of certain art styles and techniques. I also counts on fellow painters to guide me on betterment of my works.

I describe my works as simple and frankly unpretentious. Utilizing different mediums such as oil, watercolor and acrylic, I love using these mediums in my practice to explore the complexity. Most of my subject combines themes and concepts connected to healing, nature, spirituality, and relational aspects.

Art has a big impact to me personally. It contributes healing to my soul. Though I am a full-time employee, I continued my artworks in my spare time. I hardly noticed I already made 14 sets of paintings! It all started out as a hobby. That hobby became into a passion.

Painting comes out naturally for me. Just like what my inner self wants to see in colors, it randomly comes out from my artworks. My pieces portray my emotion, mind, and soul.  Even random scenarios which I wanted to speak through painting, come out naturally as well. My imagination runs fast the moment I hold the brush. My works were never for the sake of showing my skills, but each one of my painting was done because of a memorable or valuable experience that it brought into my life.

First Art Exhibit

Aside from painting, I am also doing photography. It’s easy to see that both painting and photography have now become a part of my lifestyle which I can’t live without. Both hobbies create personal development to myself. They gave me a different level of self-esteem.

Last June 9 to 27 of this year was my first major one-woman solo art exhibition, and it was entitled “The Beauty of Triumph” in celebrating wellness, and it was held at Artissimo Art House in Banilad, Cebu City.

Fourteen paintings and six of my favorite photographs were displayed during the exhibition. It was a successful event for me, and the paintings and photos were almost sold out. What’s interesting is by only using social media, I was able to sell my artworks, too.

I am glad that I took the step of sharing my artworks by having the Art Exhibition. The main purpose of the exhibition was to encourage people especially women who go through the same battle that I had been.

What My Artworks Mean

My artworks were the result of courage and strength, that there is more in life after battling the illness. My hobby turned into a meaningful purpose by inspiring others to be strong and to take life positively when it turns out bad.

I truly believe that when a hobby is compelled by passion, it becomes more meaningful. I encourage women to never disregard what you think you like to do on your spare time. Instead, allow them to develop within yourself passionately.

Let me end this by saying, “Don’t give up on life. Have faith in God.”

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