“Drawing the Eye to Nothingness” at G Gallery, 2015

Thedra Cullar-Ledford
“Drawing the Eye to Nothingness”
G Gallery, Houston, Texas
April 4 – 28, 2015

“Society talks a lot about breast cancer awareness in sterile, happy taglines and with pink things,” said Thedra. “This show talks about breast cancer survival in brutally honest ways. I’m not sweeping anything under the rug. The creative process helped me heal: I don’t have tits, but I don’t have cancer, either.”

Thedra Cullar-Ledford

She dined with Queen Elizabeth II, turned down Bill Clinton and graduated from Oxford University’s Christ Church as its first nursing mom. But these experiences don’t define Thedra Cullar-Ledford, nor does her Red #56 hair color. The classically-trained artist defines herself as a socially-conscious breast cancer survivor with intolerance to bullshit. These characteristics converge in Thedra’s upcoming show Drawing the Eye to Nothingness. It’s an alternative look at breast cancer that she labels “Boobapalooza” at GGallery on April 4 from 7-10 pm.

Alternative refers to both Thedra’s chosen path of treatment — no reconstruction — as well as the art itself — “boobs” painted on hundreds of canvases, papers, plates, mirrors or anything found at local junk stores. (She shies away from the word “breasts” because it reminds her of chicken.) Medical documentation photos and a performance art piece add to the artist’s chronological walk through her past year with cancer. “Society talks a lot about breast cancer awareness in sterile, happy tag lines and by making everything pink,” said Thedra. “This show talks about breast cancer survival in brutally honest ways. I’m not sweeping anything under the rug. The creative process helped me heal: I don’t have tits, but I don’t have cancer, either.”

Thedra’s diagnosis came in December 2013 as she prepared to donate a kidney for a friend. Three days before the scheduled transplant, she completed a mandatory mammogram; nine weeks later, Methodist Hospital’s Chief of Surgery performed Thedra’s bi-lateral mastectomy. After initial reconstruction procedures caused an infection, Thedra and her husband, Stephen, made the non-traditional decision to skip reconstruction all together. Thedra has since become an outspoken member of the world-wide “Flat and Fabulous” Facebook Group and she and her husband designed a brochure alerting patients that they, too, can forego the 3-6 surgeries typically associated with reconstruction.

As part of the show, What’s Up Cupcake will provide appropriately-themed desserts and a mobile mammography truck will offer free exams. Particularly adventurous guests can walk through an inflatable human breast, complete with large representations of noncancerous lumps, inflammatory breast cancer staging, milk ducts, blood vessels and lymph nodes. The goal is to address the taboo associated with “boobs” and encourage early detection.

“With this show, I give women a voice and an opportunity,” said Thedra. “Women in Iowa wearing sweater sets can’t SCREAM raw feelings in response to a cancer diagnosis like I do here. And I hope the mammography van will help save the life of a woman who would otherwise have no idea she was in danger.” Those interested in learning more about Thedra and her work can visit her website, where she also sells “Gone but Not Forgotten” T-shirts with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Thedra’s art classes for cancer survivors at Independence Art Studios.

Thanks to Sandy Wilson, a humble but consistently excellent photographer and friend for the images.
See more of her work here.