by Mariana Oliva / Islip Bulletin
The Islip Arts Council held its "Limitless" exhibit for the second year in a row from Oct. 12 to Nov. 1, with a reception on Oct. 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. The "Limitless Il" exhibit was on display for nearly three weeks, showcasing the artwork done by cancer survivors. Over 12 artists were featured in this year's gallery, located in the South Shore Mall in Bay Shore.
Artists were able to submit their work starting Sept. 15 with an Oct. 5 deadline and were notified the following day about being accepted. However, this year's open call for artists had a new addition. Not only were cancer patients allowed to submit their work, but their caregivers as well. The Islip Arts Council recognized the relationship between caregivers and their patients and allowed work from both individuals as either a collaborative piece or separate submission.
One of the featured artists was Kristyn Langstrand, who participated as a caregiver. Years ago, she had returned to work after being on maternity leave and found out that her father had Stage 4 lung and throat cancer. Langstrand ultimately decided to stop working to help care for her father while her mother remained employed as a school administrator to maintain health insurance.
Langstrand's submission featured wallpaper from one of her father's last jobs as a wallpaper hanger. It also featured paint samples from her daughter's nursery that Langstrand's father helped paint, as he often spent 12-hour days with his newborn granddaughter. The artwork featured several different pieces that reminded Langstrand of her father. Participating in the exhibit with others who had a similar journey didn't feel like something new.
"It was like walking into a room and instantly feeling like you already knew everybody who was here," Langstrand said. "Because it doesn't matter the type of cancer or how long they had it, or if they beat it or if they didn't—we all went down the same road."
The open call invited cancer survivors to share and express their artwork in any medium and with creative freedom. Submissions were sent in through a Google Form, where there was no fee for artists to enter. Additionally, this year's "Limitless Il" exhibit saw an increase in artists compared to last year and was a success for the Islip Arts Council and the artists involved.
