Art therapy: Cancer survivor doodles to help ease the pain

Oct. 18--When Cathy Sampson doodles, the art world notices.

"Cathy's Doodles," a 24-piece one-woman show of her artwork, is on display through Nov. 7 at the Wolf-Kuhn Gallery at Mount Aloysius College, Cresson.

A self-taught artist who draws freehand with black ink and Sharpie markers, Sampson never thought of her doodles as art.

She has since learned her doodles are a form of zentangle, an easy-to-learn, relaxing and fun way to create images by drawing structured patterns.

Sampson first began doodling in high school, and her art teacher thought her work was good enough to put in a school art show, where all five pieces sold.

"I put it down to raise a family, then I was a single parent," Sampson said. "I've been married to Bill, my second husband, for 13 years. I found my artwork and started again."

Then came a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2007 and tests that revealed she had a hereditary cancer gene.

After eight surgeries that have left behind what Sampson calls her victory scars, she has been a cancer survivor for six years.

During her recoveries, she found that getting immersed in her doodles helped the pain to subside, and still does.

As a result, Sampson is a committee member for Arts for Healing, a program funded through the Conemaugh Health Foundation that helps patients suffering from chronic pain through doing artwork.

"It's truly therapy for me," she said. "It's relaxing, and I enjoy the clean lines."

Sampson adds color to her work with a rainbow of markers after the black-and-white design is completed.

She has gotten commissions to do work for others and has donated her art to charitable organizations.

She also has made Christmas and wedding gifts of her artwork to family and friends, hiding their names or important dates in the design.

Her one-woman show at Mount Aloysius came about through her participation in the Arts for Healing program.

"Mary Lessard, who is on the steering committee, saw my work and asked if I'd be willing to have a one-woman show," Sampson said. "I also had two pieces in an exhibit with other artists at Bottle Works and was juried twice and sold my art at the Sugar Loaf Arts Festival in Maryland."

Sampson describes herself as a born and bred Washingtonian.

She grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C., and lived for 30 years in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

She taught first- and second- grade special education in Montgomery County, Maryland, and retired from a position with a high-powered insurance broker.

"I've never lived any place other than Washington, so coming to Johnstown was a culture shock, but it's a great place to retire."

Sampson first came to Johnstown because her daughter served an internship at Memorial Medical Center, and she and her husband helped her move into a house in the Eighth Ward section of Johnstown, just blocks from the hospital.

"When we were helping her move, I sat on her porch, heard the church bells ringing and fell asleep," Sampson said. "I had never been more relaxed."

Her husband, Bill, was already retired, but Sampson was still working, so her husband sent her photos of homes he liked.

"We bought this house, which is just blocks from my daughter, by chance and on a handshake," Sampson said of the Victorian-era house that still has its original woodwork intact.

"It was built in 1925, and we're only the third owners. It's been a work of love and a lot of fun to restore it."

Her husband, who writes science fiction novels in his retirement, did most of the work on the house himself and contracted the rest out to others.

"I love this house and the area," Sampson said. "I love Johnstown.

"The people are friendly, and it's affordable for retirees. I feel comfortable in my home, and it feels like I'm home."

Since she has been in Johnstown, Sampson is amazed that others acknowledge her work as art.

"Everyone sees something different in it," she said. "I see doodles. I'm thrilled they like my work."

Sampson volunteers every Wednesday at Memorial Medical Center's cancer care center, talking with and listening to breast cancer patients as they receive chemotherapy treatments.

Sampson also participates in a cancer support group and has donated her artwork to raffle off at cancer-related events and to Conemaugh Health System.

Sampson also has a son who lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

Ruth Rice writes features for The Tribune-Democrat. She can be reached at (814) 532-5052. Follow her on Twitter @RuthRiceTD.

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