Changing the View

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About two years ago, a local children's hospital put out an RFP to several artists concerning their operating rooms. They were getting complaints that the environment was too sterile and frightening to the small patients. When I visited the site, I discovered blank walls devoid of any artwork, and procedure rooms filled with scary looking equipment hanging from the ceiling and surrounding where the patient would be laying. I couldn't imagine would I could do to bring life, distraction and joy into that environment. Some ideas were to hang mobiles from the ceiling. But I kept thinking that there was no way to hide the equipment, so I had to somehow make it ok that it was there.

Eventually, an idea came that submarines had periscopes and lots of equipment in them. And if I painted portals around the room with concerned sea creatures looking in, that it would soon have the appearance of a submarine, and less of an appearance of a scary operating room.





My idea was selected and I am now in the process of completing these rooms for the hospital. What a joy to know that my art will be bringing peace, joy and a pleasant distraction to little ones in discomfort. There can be no higher calling for an artist.


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