Tina
“Maybe I do not have a better answer for what being a woman is because I am still figuring that one out. I know what it is not – and those are the things that society focuses on. We are more than perfection. We are human.”
Tina is an artist, a cancer survivor, and an inspiring leader. She is remarkably driven, and thrives when she is surrounded by creativity. When Tina noticed how limited the dialogues in cancer books were she decided it was time to share her own journey and write one herself. This led to her publishing her award winning book Not in the Pink. Tina is determined to challenge the narrative surrounding mastectomies, encouraging women to see the beauty and power in being flat. Through her teaching and creative works, she is always establishing communities and empowering individuals along the way. Meet Tina. This is her story.
P: Please introduce yourself!
T: My name is Tina Martel. I live in Western Canada. I am a professional artist. I have both an MFA and a BFA in painting. I am full time tenured faculty in a college art department. I am the author and illustrator of a multi award winning book called Not in the Pink which dealt with the first of my two breast cancer diagnoses. At the time I felt that most cancer books were split into two categories. Number one was the “cancer is a gift” kind. The other was very clinical. I wanted one that actually honoured the experience and how challenging it is. I wanted a book that dealt with the very real ups and downs and was not so relentlessly pink. We all have very different ways of dealing with this diagnosis. Mine was to write what I wanted to read.
P: Describe or define yourself in your own words.
T: But really who am I? I am 64 years old. Bold. Unstoppable. Outspoken. I love to laugh. Love a good gluten free vodka. Love fashion and art. All I ever wanted to do growing up was to be an artist. And I had no idea what that meant. I had vague ideas of wearing a beret, hence the fashion part, and moving to Paris. The latter never happened. I have a better idea now and it informs my life. I love to be surrounded with beauty and creativity. My art practice centres
me.
P: What is your favourite thing about yourself?
T: My ability to endlessly reinvent myself. I have done this so often. Business woman. Retail. Florist. Advertising. I had a pilot’s license. Now art professor, artist and author. That last one I struggle with more and I have to admit I frequently introduce myself as an artist who accidentally wrote a book. I didn’t mean to. And cancer survivor. I did mean to do that.
P: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that has defined you or made you stronger?
T: I am of the opinion that everything we do shapes us: sometimes slowly like water dripping away at a rock. Sometimes it is more like a tsunami: for me it was fighting cancer for years. Facing your own mortality multiple times is transformative but not necessarily in the way people think it is. Aging has definitely changed my perspective on many things. One of the biggest is that I care much less about what the world thinks I should or should not be. The latest transformative event: I had a double mastectomy without reconstruction slightly over a year ago. Now I am trying to advocate and educate living flat as a viable choice. We can do this on our terms.
P: What is one piece of advice you’d give your younger self?
T: OMG I would not have listened. I was stubborn, passionate, headstrong and lived with my heart on my sleeve. Now, I am older. I am stubborn, passionate, headstrong and my heart is still on my sleeve. The difference? Now I have a disposable income…
P: What does being a woman mean to you?
T: This is a very interesting question as femininity, in this culture, is frequently portrayed with long hair and large breasts. Neither of which I possess. My hair suffered terribly during chemo and although it does grow it is half of what I had before. I made the choice to keep it buzzed and chose to believe that it is edgy. The loss of my breasts after the double mastectomy was a stranger one. I knew they had to go for the sake of my health and sanity. After much investigating I chose not to have reconstruction. I truly did not like the options. But now I have had a double whammy. I really had to think about who I was going to be moving forward. Am I less a woman without??? A resounding “No!” Am I viewed as less of a woman? That’s the more complicated part. That one I can’t control, but I am working very hard to advocate and help other women and myself understand that living “flat” is a perfectly viable option. Maybe I do not have a better answer for what being a woman is because I am still figuring that one out. I know what it is not – and those are the things that society focuses on. We are more than perfection. We are human.
P: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to her if she were here now?
T: I am not much of a celebrity watcher I take my inspiration from the women I interact with everyday. One of my biggest role models has always been my mother. She interacts with people in the most gracious way. Always kind and usually very sage with a side of humour. She brought us up to think for ourselves. To be a part of the community you find yourself in. She taught us to volunteer and be present. She is also a cancer survivor.
And what do I tell her? I love you mom. Thank you for showing me what I could be and standing beside me while I do it. This has not always been easy for her, as I have never been good a colouring between the lines. But I have always been grateful for one of her favourite sayings: I will not always like what you kids do…but I will always love you. Closely followed by “Never wrestle with a pig you just get all dirty and the pig likes it”. Definitely words to live by.