It is with a heavy heart that we honor and recognize patient artists Amanda Flaim and Colleen Kane-Dacri who both passed away in the last month.

We in Art for Recovery, had the honor and joy of working closely with Amanda and Colleen; the two beautifully exemplified what Art For Recovery is all about. Amanda featured her Cancer Camino: My Pilgrimage art show and showcased her work at the UCSF women’s health building. Amanda's art will remain on display at 2356 Sutter St., 1st floor, to view this week. Amanda’s life brought color, texture, laughter, and kindness to this world. Colleen was a gifted writer and active participant in a few of our online groups. Colleen was a warm and empathetic soul and supported patients, caregivers and families through the cancer journey in her career as a Marriage & Family Therapist.

In reflecting on Amanda's Pilgrimage art show, Amanda said, “Taking these pilgrimages, you must suspend the normal and the familiar and step fully into in-betweenness.”

Thank you all for caring for Amanda and Colleen in the final stages of their lives. You held both of them in the “in-betweenness” beautifully. May their spirits live on in the ways that both of these wonderful people have touched Art for Recovery.

We are beyond excited to announce that our very own Amy Van Cleve received the 2024 Chancellor Award for Exceptional University Service.

"It is an immense honor and humbling experience to receive the 2024 UCSF Chancellor Award for Exceptional University Service. This award recognizes outstanding university citizenship by those who devote time and energy above and beyond the scope of their position to serve the UCSF campus community toward fulfilling its core priorities and mission.

Being an artist my entire life I never saw a future for myself in medicine. However, 20 years ago when I came to UCSF with a friend and saw my language of artmaking offered to patients, as a way to help them heal, I knew I was home. Cindy Perlis, founder of Art for Recovery, took a chance on me 20 years ago and has taught me the art of holding safe space for people dealing with cancer and life-threatening illness in the UCSF Medical Center. In Art for Recovery, we see a lot of beautiful art, music, and writing, however this beauty also comes with a lot of pain, grief, and death. It is an honor to hold space for all of it and there is no way that I could carry the weight of this work without my incredible team. Ned Buskirk, Elias Medici, Patrice Haan, Mary Watson, Jim Murdoch, Josh Martin, and Cindy Perlis are the incredible artist that support me and all the patients we serve. We have a saying in art for recovery that, 'our patients are our teachers.'

Thank you to the 20 years of patients who have taught me what it means to live, to die, and to say creative anyway.

Patient Ben Pax said, 'the healing of art is in the making of it.' I believe that art is not about reproducing what we see, rather, that art helps us to see. Thank you for seeing me, UCSF, and thank you Chancellor for seeing the value of arts and healthcare. I am so proud of Art for Recovery: where we came from, where we are, and how we will continue to grow. It is one of the greatest gifts of my lifetime to do this important work.

'Who would have thought that stains of color can come to life and help one live' - Frida Kahlo."

Please click below to watch Amy's interview segment for the 2024 UCSF Chancellor Awards.