TRI-LAKES AREA — When Rachel Schwartz, a 29-year-old art teacher in the Lakeside School District, found out she had a brain tumor, she wasn’t surprised. She knew something was wrong and even pointed out its location to doctors. What did surprise her, however, was the amount of support she received from friends, co-workers and fellow members of the art community.
In addition to sending letters and cards, people brought food, sent packages and donated money to help with her medical expenses.
“I don’t think I deserve it,” Schwartz said of all the support. “I was really surprised. I was especially surprised by the support that I’ve gotten from my school family because I only [worked there] 6 1/2 weeks. The kids wrote me letters and sent me things, and the teachers collected money and sent it to me.”
Now local artists are donating their time and talent with the Artists [Heart] Rachel Exhibition and Sale, which will kick off from 5-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at the Artchurch Studio in Hot Springs.
“She’s just one of those people that once you meet her, she’s your friend and you want to do whatever you can do to help her,” said friend and fellow art teacher Shelly Wheeler, of the Bismarck School District, who came up with the idea of an art show to benefit Schwartz.
Originally from Russellville, Schwartz moved to Hot Springs when she was in the fourth grade. After graduating from Lakeside High School in 1998, she attended school in Texas and Arkansas and earned degrees in theology, communications and art
education. She worked in the Centerpoint School District and the Mountain Pine School District before landing a job at her alma mater last summer.
However, it was also around this time that she started experiencing some severe symptoms, such as headaches, vision problems and nausea. She went to her doctor for what she thought were migraines and, after two MRIs, found out that she had a tumor.
“He told me it basically was not a little one, and it had to be operated on,” Schwartz said.
After having been called in for the second MRI, though, she already had her suspicions, and had joked with friends about having a “psychic tumor.” She even knew where it was.
“Back in June, I did a journal entry where I basically drew where it was,” she said.
Less than a week after meeting with her doctor, Schwartz was on the operating table — for seven hours.
“The neurosurgeon said she got all of it, but they are still doing follow-up chemo and radiation, so I’m still in that process right now,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll be fine, but until then, I have a battle to fight.”
As soon as word got out about Schwartz and her illness, cards and letters started pouring in, and a variety of people wanted to know how they could help. Her roommates, sisters Mary Jane and Allison Pierce, started “The Rachel Fund” on Facebook, where they provided updates on Schwartz and offered ways to help.
“We set up ‘The Rachel Fund’ Facebook page because people didn’t know where to go, and obviously, Rachel wasn’t updating her Facebook, so when the day of the surgery came, we were updating every hour,” Mary Jane said. “I had text groups in my phone, ‘The Rachel Group,’ because people wanted to know, and they really cared.”
Through donations, the sisters were able to raise enough money to buy two iPads — one for Schwartz and one to raffle off to help pay for her medical expenses. They sold tickets at the Lakeside homecoming game, at Zoe’s (a local restaurant) and to friends.
“People have really supported her,” Pierce said. “It was really cool to see how people are checking up on her and asking about her. I told her if I had to have brain surgery, not this many people would have cared. It was hundreds — literally hundreds — of people asking about her.”
Pierce is one of about 20 Hot Springs area artists participating in the “Artists [Heart] Rachel” Exhibition and Sale. There will also be work by Nancy Dunaway, Michael Shaeffer, Heather Montgomery and Artchurch founder Terri Menefee.
Originally, just art teachers were going to participate, but the event has since expanded to include a variety of artists.
“It’s going to be a real interesting mix of artwork, I believe,” said Wheeler, who will also donate work to the show.
The work will be sold via a silent auction, which will open at the February Gallery Walk on Friday, Feb. 4, and remain open through most of February.
“If [people] can’t get by that night to bid on some of the art, they can come by during our regular hours during the week throughout most of February,” said Dana Fleming, program director for Artchurch.
Artwork is still being accepted for the event. For more information or to donate art, call Fleming at (501) 318-6779.