Crystal has been a fixture in the mixed media art world for many years. She’s gained quite a reputation as a fine artist and fabulous teacher who generously shares her skills with students in venues across the United States, particularly Way Art Yonder Studio in Jamul, California, and Studio Joy in Kansas City, Missouri.

After a period of unexplained illness, she has finally been given a diagnosis. She faces mounting medical bills as well as a diminished ability to create and teach art, her livelihood. A Gofundme account has been set up to help Crystal. Here’s the link if you would like to contribute. This is part of her story.

After an unexpected and rapid weight loss, our friend Crystal Marie Neubauer has been diagnosed with Systemic Mastocytosis . 

 Systemic Mastocytosis is a rare disorder where mast cells are abnormally increased in multiple organs including the bone marrow. Mast cells are immune cells that produce a variety of mediators, such as histamine, that are important in the body’s allergic responses. When mast cells are present in greatly increased numbers, the amount of released mediators can be very high and cause multiple symptoms.

This diagnosis connects many dots from Crystal’s health history, especially connected to the Chronic Lyme Disease that Crystal has been battling for decades. The disease is progressive and debilitating in nature and Crystal is experiencing a rapid decline in her daily abilities to function and participate in the normal activities of her life. There is no cure and treatments are limited to symptom management, and often the disease will cause the body to reject the very medications that could help stabilize her system. 

As her friends, family, loyal patrons of her art, students of her art workshops, and people who love and care about her, we can help to support Crystal as she moves through the challenges she is facing and begins to transition her career path to be able to continue the teaching that she loves to do, through online courses rather than the physically exhaustive work and travel required to teach her classes live.

Medical costs and related expenses are mounting and will continue to rise. So many of us would love to do something tangible, and this Go Fund Me campaign is one way we can rally around Crystal to provide the support she needs, helping to shoulder her burden from locations across the country and around the world. 

You can also continue to support Crystal by purchasing her artwork either from her online gallery or from any of the galleries representing her work. You can sign up and attend an in-person workshop with her either in her Racine studio  or at the limited off-site locations  she’s scheduled to teach in 2019. Crystal also has an online Patreons & Peers  group where you can choose from different levels of patronage. 

Please note that all funds raised from this Gofundme fundraiser will be deposited directly into Crystal’s bank account (less GoFundMe’s 2.9% fee + .30  fee per credit/debit transactions). Zero fees are paid to the organizer. 

Thank you for listening to this podcast episode, which was recorded in November, 2018. Crystal tells a great story of how she created her particular style of collage art.