Craig S. Galati

I had thought about painting again for many years. Although I took many art classes in college and loved to create, the last actual painting I completed was in 2003. Life had gotten in the way of creating just for myself. Being a good husband, raising children, and growing a business were the important things that filled my days.

In November 2022, I was diagnosed with stage III gastric cancer and began treatment immediately. Many rounds of chemotherapy and a very invasive esophagectomy and gastrectomy surgery got rid of my cancer, but there were lingering side effects, as my hands and feet had developed neuropathy.

Dr. Fadi Braiteh, my excellent oncologist, suggested I find activities to use my hands. He is an avid art collector, and he steered me back into the world of art. But I wasn’t sure how to begin.

After talking to a few artist friends, I decided to sign up for painting lessons with Harold Bradford through the Left of Center gallery. Harold is a great teacher and pushes me to develop my creativity while still teaching technique and composition. Watching Harold paint and studying his paintings has taught me a bit of his creative process and the depth and meaning a painting can have.

Nearly three years in, I’m feeling more confident and beginning to push myself. People have told me they see my progress, and I’m finding a group of people who like my work. And the neuropathy in my hands is virtually gone.