WORDS & PHOTOS / KODY FORD

Cystic Fibrosis might ring a bell, but what do you know about it? The rare disorder that affects one in 3,000 people has an impact that detrimental to the person suffering. It affects the respiratory system, the endocrine system, the gastrointestinal system and can even cause infertility in males. There is no cure. There is not much relief for sufferers. But some people like Dylan Mortimer find beauty in pain.

The artist has channeled his suffering into unique works that were on display at the Fayetteville Underground’s show “Breathe,” which also served as a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Arkansas.

He describes his art as detailing his own journey in healing—mentally, spiritually and physically.

“My work is very autobiographical—health-related imagery but using materials cut-paper, paint, glitter on top of glitter in a baroque way to evoke the reality of growing up with a really ugly disease that you spend your whole life trying to beautify by throwing glitter over phlegm, blood, sweat and tears to try and transform it from something really ugly into something beautiful.”

Gallery manager, Joelle Storet, invited Mortimer to display three pieces at the Underground for the show. Storet and Bianca Montoya were both honorees of the CFAA and are holding events to raise money, which will culminate during the Weekend with the Finest, a two-day celebration on Sept. 29-30 with a final party at the Fayetteville Town Center.

Diane Byram, senior development director for the CFAA, attended the event and was happy with how things went.

“I’m so proud and impressed with Joelle and how she did her research and found an artist who has cystic fibrosis,” Bryam said. “It has been such an honor to get to know Dylan. Cystic fibrosis is such a small community so the more people I meet who have it, the more passionate I become to help find a cure.”

VISIT:  DYLANMORTIMER.COM
              FAYETTEVILLEUNDERGROUND.COM

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