Visionary Artists Group is an organization of local artists who are cancer survivors and/or caregivers. Our goal is to give all those whose lives have been impacted by cancer an opportunity to share their experiences through creative expression.
VISIONARY ARTISTS GROUP
THE PEOPLE OF VISIONARY ARTISTS GROUP
KATHY CAWTHON
FOUNDER
After graduating from The College of William and Mary, Kathy taught middle and high school Language Arts for 27 years while also working as a freelance writer and photographer for the City of Hampton, Virginia, and PortFolio Magazine, as well as other publications.
She and her husband, Roger, were married for 37 years until his death in 2020, and raised two sons, Ryan and Reid.
Always drawn to the arts, Kathy discovered their healing properties during several years of aggressive treatment for cancer. She dove into drawing, painting and collage, taking numerous classes and workshops, and attending retreats led by noted artists.
She says, “I found that when I was drawing and painting, I forgot about upcoming surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments, uncomfortable tests, the pain and fear. My confidence soared and I felt so much joy. Those are healing things.”
As she recovered, and in the 28 years since, she worked as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society, traveling and speaking at oncology and pharmaceutical conferences as well as survivor celebrations at many hospitals and “Relay For Life” events.
“My husband Roger – who was also a cancer survivor – and I ran the Marine Corps Marathon to celebrate our survival,” she explains. “This was the story we were often invited to share at conferences and events.”
Kathy has studied the power of the arts to heal and has published three books on the subject. “Creating is deeply spiritual and meditative,” she says. “It envelops the creator in a healing space. There are so many books on this subject, and so much science to back it up. It has become my passion, and my strongest desire is to encourage others to participate in creativity as a complementary healing therapy and to give them a voice and a platform to share their journeys.”
Kathy is a certified SoulCollage® facilitator, Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT), and Veriditas-trained labyrinth facilitator. She created “The Survivor Movie,” for which she was awarded the “Yoplait Champions Award” from General Mills and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. She has also received the American Cancer Society’s “Board of Trustees Award for Outstanding Service.” Her writing and photography have received awards from the Virginia Press Association, Virginia Press Women, National Federation of Press Women, and National Education Association.
CYNDI GOETCHEUS SARFAN
FOUNDING MEMBER
Cyndi Goetcheus Sarfan is a fine art and wildlife photographer living in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. She was born in Martinsville, Indiana, to a young Army pilot and his wife. Her travels began at the age of three months when her father was stationed in Germany in the early 1960s. A proud Army brat, Cyndi moved frequently from one army base to another as her father’s military career advanced. In 1970, the family moved to Bangkok, Thailand, where they lived and traveled for two years. Her military upbringing has left her with a lifelong passion for travel and an appreciation of a variety of artistic and cultural expressions.
As an adult, Cyndi has continued traveling extensively around the world. A three-week photographic safari in Kenya also helped shape her artistic vision and deepened her commitment to wildlife preservation around the globe. One of her current passions is photographing the critically endangered red wolves at the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge, as well as the other wonderful wildlife found there. Her largest body of work can be found online on her Flickr account.
Cyndi comes to the Living Proof project as a caregiver. In September of 2021, her beloved big brother, JR, a talented musician and skilled photographer himself, was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of blood cancer, epithelioid angiosarcoma. Cyndi and her siblings Susan and Scott quickly facilitated JR’s move to Houston where he received treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Cyndi and her siblings spent as much time as possible in Houston in the months following his diagnosis and move, driving him to his scheduled appointments, holding his hand during unexpected visits to the emergency room, administering his many medications, and watching all of his favorite shows and movies with him as he dealt with the side effects of his treatment. Cyndi and her entire family were by his side in April of 2022 when JR passed away. Through the Living Proof project, Cyndi hopes to keep JR’s memory alive and to honor all whose lives are profoundly touched and forever changed by cancer.
Cyndi is a graduate of the University of Virginia and holds a master’s degree In management information systems from George Washington University. She is a member of the Kill Devil Hills Cooperative Gallery, Dare Arts, and the National Association of Independent Artists.
LINDA L LAUBY
FOUNDING MEMBER
Linda Lauby is a writer, editor, artist, restaurateur and publisher, who moved from her native Wisconsin to New York City after graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While working in New York's corporate world, she discovered the Outer Banks and moved to Kitty Hawk in the 1990s.
She owns Outer Banks Press, a selectively small publishing company that produces bespoke publications and sponsors public art projects, such as The Winged Horse Extravaganza, an installation of more than 100 fiberglass horses coommemorating the Centennial of Flight.
Linda has written a number of books, and her art exhibits include International ArtExpo at NYC's Jacob Javits Center, plus a solo show inaugurating the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce. Client KeyBank in Cleveland commissioned her to create 300 large-format architectural abstract images for their corporate headquarters.
Since college, a large part of Linda's life has been the food industry. She's passionate about all aspects of the business -- from restaurant design to cooking -- and she co-owns several restaurants in Richmond, Virginia.
Linda has a loyal Facebook following of her daily "Vitamin Sea" videos. She started posting these videos of her English setters on the beach while undergoing chemo for breast cancer in 2021. What began as an affort to reassure family and friends that she was up and about turned into a practice that continues to this day.
LINDA L LAUBY
FOUNDING MEMBER
Linda Lauby is a writer, editor, artist, restaurateur and publisher, who moved from her native Wisconsin to New York City after graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While working in New York's corporate world, she discovered the Outer Banks and moved to Kitty Hawk in the 1990s.
She owns Outer Banks Press, a selectively small publishing company that produces bespoke publications and sponsors public art projects, such as The Winged Horse Extravaganza, an installation of more than 100 fiberglass horses coommemorating the Centennial of Flight.
Linda has written a number of books, and her art exhibits include International ArtExpo at NYC's Jacob Javits Center, plus a solo show inaugurating the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce. Client KeyBank in Cleveland commissioned her to create 300 large-format architectural abstract images for their corporate headquarters.
Since college, a large part of Linda's life has been the food industry. She's passionate about all aspects of the business -- from restaurant design to cooking -- and she co-owns several restaurants in Richmond, Virginia.
Linda has a loyal Facebook following of her daily "Vitamin Sea" videos. She started posting these videos of her English setters on the beach while undergoing chemo for breast cancer in 2021. What began as an affort to reassure family and friends that she was up and about turned into a practice that continues to this day.