Last Cut Conversations With Samantha Paige

In this special Mother’s Day edition of Last Cut Conversations, Samantha Paige and her mother, Jeanne Marks, share about the evolution of their relationship over the years, but specifically open up about the deepening of their bond during this first year after Last Cut’s inception. In this honest and raw exchange, this mother-daughter duo dialogue about motherhood, the big life choices we make and learning how to respect and love one another as unique individuals. This episode is poignant and sweet and speaks more broadly to the power of listening and learning from the important and key people in our lives. Happy Mother’s Day to all!

Samantha Paige and Last Cut Photographer Lisa Field reflect on the first season of Last Cut Conversations. They discuss the universal threads shared across many of the conversations, and the notable moments that made an impression as well. Each Last Cut Conversation has been special and unique. However, Season One’s ongoing dialogue about the significant decisions each individual makes to live their truth highlights how universal these choices are as well. Samantha and Lisa's conversation also circles back around to how last cuts must come from within, but are often made easier and supported by community and connection.

In the final episode of Season 1, Last Cut Creator Samantha Paige reflects on the Top 10 Lessons she has learned over the first year of Last Cut. Ranging from the internal process to the external need for community, this episode is a thorough recap of Last Cut’s primary themes.

Last Cut Creator Samantha Paige reflects on how the truth lives in our body. She candidly shares how her body tends to show her when she is not living according to her truth. This episode is a raw and vulnerable snapshot of Samantha’s recent physical and emotional dance with her body.

What’s most true to you? How are you living it? “So the thing that is most true to me is truth and love and love for the truth. The ultimate truth for me is love, which means we are all connected, we are all in this together. I have universal love for each and every individual on this planet, because it is such a miracle that any of us are here.” ~Anne Van de Water, Life & Lifestyle Coach and Consultant, Health & Wellness Teacher and Practitioner and Creator of Vibration Transformation Anne Van de Water is a life & lifestyle coach and consultant and a health & wellness teacher and practitioner. She is also one of my dearest friends and an incredible travel sidekick. One of the threads that continues to bind not only our working relationship, but also our friendship, is a shared love of the truth. Anne and I are both straight shooters and have continued to support each other in showing up in the world in a manner that lines up with our values and beliefs. She has been one of my greatest teacher

What’s most true to you? How are you living it? “Somebody said something really insightful to me once and it really helped me. They said time now has a definition. That has stayed with me since the moment it was said because, especially at 27, I thought time was limitless. I thought I had all the time in the world and now I guess it just removed some of that inhibition because, so what? Ana Ono doesn’t make it? I tried. I did the best I could. I gave it my all. I did something that I always dreamt of doing.” ~Dana Donofree, Founder of Ana Ono Intimates Diagnosed with Infiltrative Ductal Carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer, at 27, Dana Donofree founded AnaOno out of her own necessity and desire for pretty, sexy, beautiful lingerie. After a bilateral mastectomy with implant reconstruction, her own bras no longer fit, and she was certain there must be better options. After discovering her beautiful and functional bras following my explant surgery, I had the pleasure of becoming friends with Dana from

What’s most true to you? How are you living it? "I really and truly believe that undergarments can change a women's life and then she can go on to change the world. I'm talking about how starting with that layer, [that experience] can totally transform how a woman thinks about herself, about her body, about her worth, about her femininity, about her feminine energy. Physically and emotionally, our breasts are the doorways to our hearts. So if you can imagine, if you think anything about chakras and even if you don't, just physically being able to stand up tall and have your heart be able to lead, it changes a woman's life." ~Kimmay Caldwell, Hurray Kimmay blogger and expert bra fitter I first encountered Kimmay Caldwell, lingerie blogger and expert bra fitter, and her “Hurray Kimmay” blog on the Ana Ono Intimates Instagram feed. After reading her post on post-mastectomy lingerie (though not post-reconstruction herself), I was further impressed that she does not allow photographers to Photoshop her body in ph

Samantha Paige and Last Cut Photographer Lisa Field speak candidly about the evolution of their friendship over the last decade and how they have navigated working so closely on Last Cut. In sharing about the birth of Last Cut, they discuss how their trust and connection has fed the art and also the need to speak up and create boundaries to honor the friendship. 

What is most true to you? How are you living it? “Honesty is what drives me, but in order to be honest you have to understand who you are. You have to go through experiences to build who you are, but you also have to look at yourself and reflect because honesty is the only way to receive love.” ~Vanessa Cuccia, Founder of Chakrubs Vanessa Cuccia, founder of Chakrubs, speaks about her movement towards self-love, healing and pleasure in this Last Cut Conversation. Meeting last summer on Samantha Paige’s birthday, Vanessa opened her Chakrubs’ office and heart, telling the story of her personal discovery of self and pleasure. She has shared the literal and figurative tools crucial to her own evolution through the creation of Chakrubs, the original 100% crystal sex toy company. Samantha connected with Vanessa through her exquisite and artfully presented Instagram account for Chakrubs. Everything that Vanessa has her hands in is beautifully powerful. For more information on Vanessa Cuccia and Chakrubs, please visit

What is most true to you? How are you living it? “I feel like what I have come back to, or come into, is honoring myself first. Which is something that I never knew how to do. I’m still learning it. It’s really amazing. Yeah, the concept of self-care. I can talk about it over and over and tell people what to do. But radical self-care is revolutionary.” ~Vonn Jensen, US-based cancer advocate and founder of Flattopper Pride and Queer Cancer. Vonn Jensen (formerly Emily Jensen) is a US-based cancer advocate and vanguard approaching advocacy through the lens of social justice. They founded the movements, Flattopper® Pride and Queer Cancer, and work specifically with populations often disenfranchised or rendered invisible in the dominant breast cancer narrative. Using a variety of media, they have worked for visibility as a means of combating the marginalization that certain groups, such as the queer community, face during treatment. Jensen is currently working with filmmaker Emily Mackenzie on Tapestries, a docum

What’s most true to you? How are you living it? "So for me, what really interested me is the politics around reconstruction and what you do with your body. Body politics is a thing. What is that famous piece of art? The photo with the words, 'My body is a battleground.' That photo, when you are talking about women's bodies, says that everyone is allowed to have an opinion. What they should and shouldn't do with them. How they are supposed to look. What's going on? So breast cancer becomes this interesting intersection to talk about feminism to me. Body policing. How does this work? What is expected of us?" ~Emily Mackenzie, New Orleans based Director and Editor Emily Mackenzie is a New Orleans based director and editor. Mackenzie is a graduate of Bard College and the New School’s Documentary Media Studies program. She has worked as a director, producer and editor for broadcast networks such as MTV, HBO, and Animal Planet and for documentary films - features and shorts - that have been screened at festivals in

Samantha Paige and Last Cut Photographer Lisa Field discuss the lead up to Samantha’s participation in Equinox’s 2017 Commit to Something campaign. Equinox’s message around commitment and how our commitments show who we truly are, parallels the underlying themes of Last Cut in unbelievable fashion.   Equinox Creative Director Elizabeth Nolan speaks with Samantha about the power of commitment in life, not only the gym, and how Equinox chose Samantha for this image.  Samantha’s provocative image from the campaign conveys her empowered embodiment, which landed and evolved powerfully this year through her explant surgery and Last Cut.

What is most true to you? How are you living it? "I think for me what is most true to Ronny is the desire to never stop discovering and for me the discovery is limitless. Discovery of myself. Discovery of others. Discovery of what the world has to offer. This inner voice inside of me that is always giving me advice and direction of where should I go, where should I not go." -Ronny Turiaf, NBA basketball player, world traveler and a truly generous soul and friend.  In 2012, I sent jewelry from my company, Adesso, to a stylist for a couple of NBA players. One of them, Ronny Turiaf, loved the pieces but beyond that, was moved by my personal story. We had something profound in common. We both were cruising along in our early 20’s, feeling healthy when we were told that we were sick inside and needed surgery. I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 21, and Ronny, after being drafted by the LA Lakers right out of college at age 22, was told he had an enlarged aortic root in his heart that required immediate surg

What’s most true to you? How are you living it?  "I was struggling so much with my self-identity as a woman, seeing myself in the mirror without makeup and wondering, “I don’t know if I am a woman or not.” So for the podcast that I am doing, when I got the answers about “what makes a woman a woman,” I was told “beautiful,” “strong,” “resilient,” nothing about big boobs and makeup. I had my mind opened to the fact that there is more. I am a woman!” ~Stephanie Ramirez A few months after my explant surgery, I received a direct message on Instagram from Stephanie Ramirez. She wrote, “I’m 23 years old and I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I underwent a double mastectomy. I’m comfortable with the way I am and did not undergo reconstruction or plastic surgery. Your pictures help me a lot and just thank you so, so much.” I was touched and wanted to meet this young survivor. She finished her chemo in July and soon after we shared a Last Cut Conversation in her home. Stephanie is such a bright light. Within two minut

What is most true to you? How are you living it? "One of the greatest liberations, perhaps, is actually recognizing for real what feels right and recognizing that what is negative is probably not right.” ~Talila Gafter, Philosopher, Pianist, Business Woman & Friend With her background in philosophy, my guest, Talila Gafter, breaks down the fundamental meaning of the words truth and cut while discussing a pivotal last cut moment in her life, the suicide of her father. Talila earned a PhD in philosophy and wrote a dissertation on German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. She shared Nietzsche’s sentiment, “The truth is there is no truth,” and from there, our conversation examined what it is to know one’s truth and how one finds greater freedom through the pursuits of holding up those ideals.. Talila is undoubtedly one of the smartest people I have ever met. She speaks 7 languages and is constantly seeking to study and learn more, be it classical piano or philosophy. She is as kind as she is intelligent. I admi

What is most true to you? How are you living it? "Love. Easy. Love. It’s the only thing that is, that we are, that everybody is. Simple.” ~Josette Tkacik, International Zumba Instructor & Inspiration My guest, Josette Tkacik, shares her story about overcoming debilitating disease in her own way. Diagnosed about five years ago with mobility threatening rheumatoid arthritis, a dancer for life, Josette opted not for a hefty pharmaceutical regime, but her own recipe for healing. Instead of leading Zumba class with a mic from a wheelchair, six days a week, Josette pulls hundreds (yes, hundreds) of people onto her dance floor and leads them through an hour plus of pure joy and complete celebration of life. What happens in that room is nothing short of magic, but is also purely the result of what Josette has cultivated in her own life. Her story is testimony to the power of love, positivity and knowing what you believe in, and taking action to uphold those beliefs.   Visit http://www.thelastcut.net/last-cut-con

What is most true to you? How are you living it? “I believe in creativity. Absolutely that is what I believe in and what I believe can fix the world. Creativity can shift consciousness.” ~Sasha Markova, Creative Mind, Advertising Visionary & Author My guest, Sasha Markova, shares about her most recent last cut, a move from her hometown of London to Los Angeles in order to pursue creative projects in line with her values and global vision. Sasha, a creative genius, author and activist, outlines the reasons behind her transatlantic move and the inner truths that drove her decision. She also brilliantly describes the concepts behind Last Cut in her own words. She is here to do incredible things, and in very Sasha fashion, is able to express it all beautifully. Visit http://www.thelastcut.net/last-cut-conversations/sasha-markova for the full transcript and photos of Sasha Markova’s Last Cut Conversation. Sasha Markova has been behind many incredible campaigns with the Mother Advertising Agency, and also write

In the introductory Last Cut Conversations episode, Last Cut creator, artist Samantha Paige, tells her personal story and discusses how the Last Cut project was born. Samantha talks vulnerably and candidly about her cancer diagnosis at age 21 and the debilitating effects of unaddressed trauma, anxiety and depression over the following decades. After years of suffering from PTSD and undergoing additional major surgeries, Samantha finally began to ask herself some powerful questions that led to greater freedom, wellness and peace within and around her body. Last Cut is a photo-documentary and book project about those big life decisions {last cuts} made to bring us closer to living truth and more freedom. The project was born in January 2016, when Samantha opted to remove silicone implants she had elected 8 years ago when she had a preventive double mastectomy. Her explant surgery became the metaphor for the many ways in which we are faced with choices that ask us to address big questions within ourselves, commi