2024 SPE Annual ConferenceSpeakers

Marcia Reifman

Saturday, March 23, 2024 @ 12:00pm, Majestic C

The Heat of Life in a Handful of Dust

My story
On September 20, 2013, I was diagnosed with stage IV squamous cell carcinoma. Although I knew something was wrong, doctors repeatedly told me not to worry - for 5 years. The last "specialist" I saw diagnosed me with a probable infection, maybe Thrush mouth. Three weeks later I was told by a new doctor that I had stage IV tongue cancer and needed immediate surgery and treatment to survive. On October 10, 2013 I underwent a 13-hour surgery, and the following procedures were performed: left hemi glossectomy with bilateral selective neck dissection, radial forearm free flap reconstruction, mandibulotomy, anterolateral thigh split thickness skin graft. From December 2, 2013 to February 2014,
I underwent 66 radiation treatments administered daily with concurrent chemotherapy.
As told by my friend, Andy
"Once she started treatment most of the energy she had withered, along with what she called her "life force." Marcia tells me that I met her at the time in her life when she just started going out again publicly but was not anywhere near close to how much life she once had. I am not sure she will ever reach that point, but the life force she has now is more than I experience in most people my age (27.) Seeing her begin making new work after so many years of not doing so has been one of the most inspiring and strange things to witness."
Brief, but accurate bio
I've done a lot: stayed in school (as student and educator) as long as possible, travelled through Europe and overland to India (when you could), lived and worked in small communities in New Mexico, sewed and lived in an 18ft. tipi, built a house, remodeled and landscaped others, dabbled in jewelry making, baked and sold 40,000 whole wheat donuts: basically, choosing to explore what life brought, therefore living very frugally, but pretty free. My cruel battle with cancer and its "treatment" is relentless, as is the excruciatingly vivid realization that I am exactly who I've always been (albeit with better life and coping skills thrown in along the way) and really the only thing that is different now prior to cancer, is my tongue, which is only a third of its original size. No matter how old I become I find myself surrounded by vigorous, exciting, beings of all ages and unable to stop "making things" and thinking, thinking, thinking. My current desire is expanding community in my own back yard, which fortunately is 8 acres of exquisite land in northern New Mexico.
I was born into a non-practicing Jewish family, but somehow was infused with the cellular knowledge and deep connection with my Jewish heritage, which, of course, only adds to the enrichment and confusion of my life.
Some mundane facts
MFA, Photography, University of New Mexico, M.Ed. Art Education, University of Florida
Retired department chair of Media Arts, Santa Fe Community College, New Mexico
Twice honored with the Teacher Excellence Award
Became younger and wiser from every person who stepped into her classroom or office
Taught analog and digital photography for the Santa Fe Workshops for 11 years
Created and taught Photography and Spirituality at Ghost Ranch Conference Center, NM
Served as house manager for Photo New York, Photo LA, and Photo San Francisco
Author, Welcome to Digital Photography, Labyrinth Learning; 2nd edition
Experience in the photography field, as a commercial and fine art photographer, educator, and designer, embracing new technology at every turn
Passionate and committed to bringing clarity, honesty, and fun and ease to the world of learning and to the world in general

"Marcia has been an artist since she was a little kid. She has always created for the sake and beauty of creating in itself. She was always very involved with her own projects and photographic studies throughout her life."

And still is ..