Art Professor Richard Bay uses healing imagery to support Relay for Life

richard

From left to right: LeeAnn Ratcliff, Dr. Harry McCoy and Dr. Richard Bay stand infront of "Love Yourself"at  Blue Ridge Cancer Care.

The bright colors and the happy beauty of Dr. Richard Bay’s recent mixed-media collage, “Love Yourself,” adorns the wall of Dr. Harry McCoy’s office at Blue Ridge Cancer Care in Blacksburg, Va.

Bay, an art education professor in the RU Department of Art, created this artwork as part of a fundraising effort for Blue Ridge Cancer Care’s Relay for Life Pirates of the Chemoworld team. The original piece was auctioned and raised $500 for the team. Limited edition prints were also available during the May 31 Relay for Life event in Christiansburg, Va.

As a client of the center, Bay found healing and inspiration and strived to manifest these concepts in his work.

“The piece, ‘Love Yourself,’ is about coming to an understanding of this disease. The changes that take place (physically, mentally and spiritually) to you, your family, friends, whomever surrounds you. What is important is you must believe in the love that surrounds you and is sent to aid in your healing.”

Blue Ridge Cancer Care has been in the New River Valley for over 20 years and has been an active participant in Relay for Life since it began in the mid 1980s. This year, they were a corporate sponsor and actively participated in Montgomery County, Smith County and Roanoke County Relays. 

LeAnn Ratcliff, an RN at Blue Ridge Cancer Care, is the team leader for Pirates of the Chemoworld. She says it was Bay’s notion to do the art auction and print sale. “He had the idea and then made it come to life. Dr. Bay has also donated some other artwork to Blue Ridge Cancer Care and which is proudly displayed for others to see. His positive attitude always shines and that is a blessing for others in our environment. “

Each participant for Blue Cancer Care’s Relay for Life team received a signed print.

Lora Gordon, RU staff photographer, and RU Printing Services assisted Bay with this pursuit and aided in the creation of this limited edition. Robert Miller of Miller Off Main Gallery in Blacksburg provided the framing for the original piece.

To read more about the inspiration behind the “Love Yourself” image, please click here. For information about Blue Ridge Cancer Care, visit their website at www.blueridgecancercare.com.

Click here to read Dr. Bay's words about "Love Yourself."

Jun 20, 2014
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