If you meet the requirements, find out from art consultants who specialize in the field as well as directly from the healthcare venues how to approach them.

* Do I have a body of artwork in the subject matter, medium and size that fit the criteria of the specific project or location?
* Does my style and color palette meet the guidelines according to the LEED and Evidence-Based Design (EBD) criteria?
* Does this location only want to work with artists who live in the same region?
* Are they only interested in artists who already have art in hospitals or will they consider alternatives?
* What materials do they require in order to make their decision?
* Must my art be created using only non-toxic materials?
* Are there any other specifications I must meet before applying to the call for artists?
* Am I willing and able to meet their deadline?
* Will I be able to supply the artwork they require within their budget?
* Are there other forms of funding available for my project in this location?
* Do they buy original art and/or prints?
* Do they purchase the rights to publish my images from digital files?
* Do they provide a contract or letter of agreement?
* Will I have to supply any materials or absorb additional costs such as delivery, printing, or framing?
* Is the project on a rental basis or direct purchase?
* What is their payment procedure?
* Am I willing to do site-specific or commissioned works of art if they are required?
* Are there any other rules and requirements established by the healthcare facility, such as archival quality materials and other health safeguards?
* Should I work directly with a staff member of the healthcare facility or through an art consultant?
* How many clients does the art consultant have who might be interested in my work?

Are You An Artist Whose Art Appeals to the Healthcare Art Market?
Would You Like to Promote Your Art to this Population?
Consider Ordering an Art Review With Publicity
Visit this page for details.

Elaine Poggi is a photographer and founder of the Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals and one of our “World Changers”. The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals, Inc., was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the United States in November 2002. The unique mission of the Foundation is “to place large, framed photographs of nature and beautiful places from around the world in hospitals to give comfort and hope to patients and their families, visitors, and caregivers. Studies show that nature art has a beneficial effect on relieving a patient’s stress and anxiety. The photographs are intended to provide color and an atmosphere of compassion where healing is encouraged.”

You can read a previous article about Elaine Poggi “Photographic Art in Hospitals Aids The Healing Process”.

In this interview Elaine highlights some of the Foundation’s many contributions, recent progress, and future plans. Photographers and charitable individuals can learn how they can participate in bringing positive change to the world through the outstanding contributions made by Elaine and the Foundation.

RP: Elaine, how did your parents influence you in becoming an artist with a sense of purpose and bringing positive change to the world?

EP: My parents gave me an appreciation of nature. Growing up on a farm in Southern Illinois, my playmates were our dogs and cats, chickens, steers, and pigs. I drove the tractor at a very young age, helping my father with the corn, wheat, and soy bean harvest. The beauty of the rolling fields of grain was my first experience with landscape art which I love to photograph today.

RP: What has been the most remarkable achievement of The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals, Inc. to date?

EP: Our most remarkable achievement to date is that in these past 18 years we have placed more than 8000 nature photos of our more than 365 Contributing Photographers in over 400 healthcare facilities, on all 7 continents!

RP: What is your proudest achievement in 2020?

EP: The inauguration of our more than 50 photos at the Siteman Cancer Center West County in St. Louis, Missouri in February was very emotional for me. The project was in honor of my dear friend, Dr. Jerry Levy, who had been a Board Member since the very beginning of the Foundation. He had passed away 6 months earlier and had been treated at this Cancer Center.

RP: What is your priority goal for 2021?

EP: My goal for 2021 is to place as many photos in as many hospitals as possible around the world.

RP: How many venues and continents have you placed healing photo art? Please name 4-5 hospitals and locations.

EP: Just in these past months I have sent photos to First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, Anhui, China; Terada Allergy Kodomo Clinic in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan (plus three other hospitals in Japan); Coonamble Hospital in Coonamble Australia; Maimonides Childrens Hospital in Brooklyn NY; Moeller Cancer Center, OSF Healthcare in Alton, Illinois; Coping with Cancer in Cramlington, England.

RP: What is the total number of photographs you have placed throughout the world?

EP: More than 8,000 nature photos.

RP: I read that you have delved into doing research studies about the impact of art and specific types of art on patients. Would you please describe those studies and what did those studies reveal?

EP: The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals relies on the most current research and evidence-based design to develop its projects. We have participated in research studies in Italy and the USA. The largest study, “Beyond traditional treatment… establishing art as therapy,” was conducted in collaboration with the Italian Oncology Group of Clinical Research (GOIRC), coordinated by Prof. Francesco Di Costanzo, director of the Oncology Department of Careggi Hospital in Florence, Italy.

Three cancer centers in Italy – Ancona, Perugia, and Messina – participated in the research. 345 patients from these centers were tested on their perception of the hospital environment before and after the display of Elaine’s nature photos in the treatment rooms of their Cancer Centers. The project was sponsored by Eli Lilly.

Results show that the great majority of patients prefer art on the walls of hospitals, instead of white, sterile walls. The art preferred, in order of preference:
1. Nature landscapes (most popular)
2. Animals
3. Scenes of everyday life
4. Portraits
5. Urban landscapes
6. Abstract (least popular)

The control group’s fiducia (trust or hope) decreased from viewing only white, sterile walls, whereas the experimental group who viewed nature photos for several months, had an increase in fiducia.

RP: How did that study influence the criteria you use for selecting art for a hospital?

EP: I was already convinced from spending time in the hospital with my mother, that nature art is the most effective for creating a hopeful, comforting environment in hospitals.

RP: How many photography-based artists are currently enrolled in your program?

EP: At the moment there are 365 Contributing Photographers.

RP: If photographers want to participate in the Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals and what criteria should artists know before contacting you?

EP: Check out our Contributing Photographer’s Program on our website.

RP: Do the artists donate the actual printed photographs, or do you accept digital files?

EP: Only high resolution digital files.

RP: I understand you have no paid staff so maintaining your Foundation must be financially challenging. How can anyone help to support your foundation?

EP: We are able to send many photos to many hospitals because we keep our costs down as much as possible. We appreciate any amount of donations which can be made through our website.

RP: You have earned the distinction of being one of The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS World Changers. I am also currently working on an ebook about artists as world changers. With that in mind, how would you like to be known now and in perpetuity?

EP: After the loss of my mother, I was able to turn sadness into a beautiful idea… an idea that is bringing light and color to hospitals around the world. I love what I do!

RP: Any advice for someone who wants to make a positive difference by placing art in public venues but doesn’t know where to start?

EP: It’s a good idea to talk to someone you personally know in the public venue. Probably funding is the biggest hurdle to overcome.

RP: What is one of the many favorable comments or testimonials you have received by staff or patients?

EP: We have 239 reviews from patients and their families, hospital staff, contributing photographers, and interns on  which tell the story of our work!

Visit The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals website healingphotoart.org

For artists working in all mediums who are interested in selling their art in the healthcare art market

This comprehensive e-Book “Sell Your Art In The Healthcare Art Market” is available in the Renee Phillips, The Artrepreneur Coach ebook shop. Visit the e-book shop and pick up your copy of Sell Your Art in the Healthcare Art Market.

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The copyright to all artwork shown here belongs to each artist. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce images without the written consent of the artist.

Please visit the artists’ websites to learn more about them and contact them directly to purchase their artwork.

52 Artists were in this exhibition. Here is a selection of art from it.

Sandra Belitza-Vazquez

Winner of The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS Membership Award

I use my camera to search for all that is beautiful in nature and the man-made world because by experiencing and appreciating beauty with awe and gratitude, I renew my spirit. A sense of wonder, calm, and love fills my being as I capture images that can help heal others. ~ sbvaz.com

Kathy Collier

Winner of the The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals Award from Elaine Poggi

As a Desert Storm veteran with 22 years in the Air Force medical field, I saw firsthand the effects of diseases such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Activities in nature and artistic pursuits have a salient impact on alleviating those effects. I use my art to inspire others to experience time in nature and the healing benefits of artistic endeavors. ~ kathycollier.com

Frantisek Strouhal

Mary Chaplin

My art expresses my deepest emotions, feelings inspired by light and life. Painting becomes a path of meditation, each canvas being a spiritual journey, a bridge transporting the public into my world. I share my strength, my positivity, energy built by the balance and power of colors, shapes in light-giving ephemeral beauty and frailty, as a metaphor for life. ~ marychaplin-peintreluministe.com/painter

Renata Bosnjak

I paint figures who I’m drawn to because something in their face calls me.  My paintings often portray biblical figures, but my biblical figures are ordinary people whose faces and eyes express something timeless.  The eyes in my painting always surprise me, because they always reveal the soul of the character I’m portraying. ~ renatabosnjak.com

Anita A. Williams

Winner of The Meg Black Special Recognition / Consultation Art Award

My art is about nature, movement, color and light. Nature restores my soul. I am moved by the power of the force and resiliency of the earth. I am healed by my daily walk with nature. Painting is my moving meditation, my contribution back to humanity. I take nature and attempt to transform it into expression. (website no longer exists)

Visit Our Exhibitions Page
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Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing who lived in the 19th century, proclaimed: “Variety of form and brilliancy of color in the object presented to patients are an actual means of recovery.” Today, many experts agree that patients who have art in their environment heal faster. And,  scientific evidence shows certain types of art, such as nature images, can actually reduce pain, anxiety, and stress.

For these reasons permanent public art displays are becoming very prevalent in health care facilities. In fact, Leslie Faerstein, Executive Director of the Arts & Health Alliance, a non-profit organization in Washington, D.C., anticipates that the organization’s 2015 study will find a significant increase in the number of health care facilities with art programs. (According to an article on the NBC News website.)

Elaine Poggi, a photographer from Florence, Italy, is one of our favorite world changers. She is well aware of the healing power of art. When her mother was hospitalized at Barnes-Jewish with non-Hodgkins lymphoma she made her hospital room more cheerful by bringing in her own photographs.

Then, in 2002, when she lost her mother to cancer, in her mother’s memory Poggi turned her bereavement into a humanistic worldwide campaign. She launched The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals, a non-profit, publicly-supported organization dedicated to placing colorful, soothing photographs of nature in hospitals. The Foundation’s message is “Humanizing Hospitals Through Healing Photo Art.”

The unique mission of the Foundation is “to place large, framed photographs of nature and beautiful places from around the world in hospitals to give comfort and hope to patients and their families, visitors, and caregivers. Studies show that nature art has a beneficial effect on relieving a patient’s stress and anxiety. The photographs are intended to provide color and an atmosphere of compassion where healing is encouraged.”

Since its inception several thousand nature photos have been placed in hundreds of healthcare facilities on seven continents to create healing environments. Her story has been translated into 28 languages thus far. Subjects range from tropical beaches to Japanese cherry blossoms to the Tuscan hills.

She emphasizes, “White, cold, sterile walls exemplify the traditional hospital setting, where stress, pain, fear and loneliness abound. Staring at these walls is boring and depressing. Studies show that nature art has a beneficial effect on relieving a patient’s stress and anxiety. The mood changes when our beautiful nature photos are placed on the walls, providing color, comfort, and hope to patients, caregivers, and loved ones.”

In addition to providing a positive environment for patients, visitors and employees, Poggi gives many artists the opportunity to share their talent in a meaningful way. She welcomes other nature photographers from around the world to participate in the Foundation’s Contributing Photographers Program.

In addition to being a very talented photographer and compassionate individual, Elaine Poggi serves as a shining example of how to turn loss into purpose. She explains, “I have met so many people and created amazing friendships through the years with patients, their families, volunteers, doctors, nurses, hospital auxiliary members, and hospital administrators. It was been very rewarding for me to see how my photos and the photos of our Contributing Photographers have made a difference in the lives of these people. I can’t think of anything that I would rather be doing!”

The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals accepts tax-deductible donations. Photographers who want to learn how to contribute their art to the Foundation will find details on the website.

Visit the website www.HealingPhotoArt.org.

Explore The Healthcare Art Market

If you are interested in getting your artwork into hospitals and other healthcare venues check out this e-Guide “Art In Healthcare For Artists”.

Imagine the many different places where your art could be sold and also bring positive benefits to patients, staff and visitors.

Wellness centers, medical facilities, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities around the world are wonderful spaces to sell your artwork.

Learn more about getting this comprehensive e-Guide by visiting renee-phillips.com

Mainstream awareness of LEED came to light in a recent article that appeared in the highly acclaimed Architectural Digest magazine. It was about actor Anna Faris and her purchase of a home in Pacific Palisades that is “LEED-certified, with solar-powered utilities, an advanced water filtration-recycling system, and a garage with a Tesla charger.”

Like Faris, there is also a growing population of environmentally conscious home owners and businesses that are complying with LEED standards. They choose to have both the exterior and interior of their spaces evoke a sense of natural, chemical-free living. The art they choose reflects a natural ambiance created by artists who are also aware of the importance of enhancing our environments with positive images.

Evidence Based Design is Another Important Field of Study

Another related acronym you see affiliated with architecture, design and art today is EBD — Evidence Based Design.  This is a field of study that has become popular in healthcare to improve patient and staff well-being, patient healing, stress reduction and safety. EBD borrows terminology and ideas from disciplines such as environmental psychology, architecture, neuroscience and behavioral economics.

Dr. Roger Ulrich, professor of architecture at Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden is often credited with planting the seed of EBD. However, other sources point to the fact that the evidence-based design movement began in the 1970s with Archie Cochrane’s book Effectiveness and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services. The patient-centered care movement that began in the United States in 1978 as other harbingers of EBD.

Experts agree it is important to focus on art and design in patient’s rooms, hospital corridors and work spaces that enhances health and well-being. Many scientific studies have proven that art has the capacity to positively transform one’s physiological state and perception. Art can have calming effects in challenging physical situations. There is an increase in bringing art to hospitals, doctor’s offices, prisons and other environments where physical and psychological tensions abound.

Fran Eber, an artist who won an award from Manhattan Arts International in its online exhibition “The Healing Power of ART ”, feels very strongly about art for healing. In an article about her on this website she states, “Evidence-Based Art is a broad category and one that can be overwhelming. The way I like to think about it is to use the metaphor of cooking. When I create art, I think organic, I imagine myself cooking a meal and keeping those ingredients as close to nature and as pure as I can possible get. In my art, the same same principles apply; keeping my subject matter simple and natural. Something wholesome that can be visually digested and emotionally nourishing.”

Choose Environmentally Friendly Healing Art From Our Online Art Gallery

This painting by Tanis Bula that has a positive impact on our mental state.

Whether you are a homeowner or a medical facility interested  in bringing more healing art into your environment, on this website you will find art that fits the criteria emphasized by these two fields of study. The Healing Power  of ART & ARTISTS community strongly believes when we surround ourselves with art that has positive subjects, colors, compositions and designs our mental states are positively impacted. Visit The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS online art gallery.

Healing Art in Healthcare Facilities Using LEED and EBD Standards

Art is now being seriously considered when hospitals and healthcare facilities prepare their budgets for essential furnishings, in both early construction stages and renovations. Artwork is no longer considered a decorative or frivolous additional component to their design. It is an integral part of their overall plan.

Barbara Markoff, leading art consultant states, “Public artwork serves many functions in healthcare facilities. Strategically placed artwork helps soothe and welcome patients and visitors. It also assists with wayfinding. Artwork helps clarify the boundaries of public and non-public areas of hospitals.”

If you’re an artist who wants to sell your art in the healthcare art market you’ll find my comprehensive e-Book “Sell Your Art In The Healthcare Art Market” to be very beneficial. It is a 100+ page PDF e-book I’ve created produced for artists who want to excel in this fascinating field. Some of the many topics covered include: The Benefits of Art in  Healthcare, Types of Venues Seeking Art, Their Criteria, Resources, and much more.

Editor’s note: Barbara Markoff is the owner of Artrageous! in San Diego, California, an industry leader in the field of art consultation and the healthcare art market. She has a diverse clientele and regularly works with business owners, high-level executives, architects, project managers, interior designers, and administrators to develop art programs specifically tailored to their type of business. She is also a photographer and many of her photographs have been place in healthcare facilities.

This article is an excerpt from her book Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant: The Handbook for Corporate Art Consultation, available on Amazon.com. It offers a glimpse into what it’s like to work as a corporate art consultant in the healthcare industry. Markoff offers expert advice for art consultants, gallery owners, picture framers, artists selling corporate art, and anyone with a desire to learn about this important and ever-growing profession.

The First Steps
Although challenging, entering the healthcare market can provide a new revenue stream. To test the market and build up confidence, start by bidding on smaller medical and dental offices. It is a gradual process to work up to higher-budget jobs. In order to be considered for larger jobs, years of experience are essential. Understandably, decision makers at a new or remodeled hospital will not turn over an art program to an art consultant who has not demonstrated expertise and past performance.

Following Protocol
It has been my experience in southern California that hospitals require art consultants and art installers to take dust maintenance classes, contractor protocol classes, and to pass a double set of TB tests. Consultants do not need badges to make a proposal, but if they are intending to participate in the art installations, badges are necessary.

Badges with photo identification are issued to art consultants and their installers once they have completed the necessary paperwork including proof of immunizations. Badges are issued annually and art consultants cannot work in a hospital without wearing a current badge. It is the responsibility of the consultant to be on top of getting badges renewed.

If consultants and their installers do not follow contractor protocol, such as dust and debris cleanup, they may be asked to leave the hospital. This can, of course, seriously impact your chances of being rehired for future projects.

Adhering to Proper Behavior
At all times, art consultants need to be sensitive to the hospital environment and notify staff about noise expectations during the installation. If it is necessary to ask a patient or visitor to move while installing in waiting rooms, the installation crew should always be polite. When installers are loading carts of artwork and equipment into elevators, they should always give medical staff and visitors the courtesy of using the elevator first. Keeping a positive attitude and demeanor while interacting with healthcare staff is imperative.

In some hospitals, art consultants and their installers are escorted to the security office before unloading the artwork. At times, art consultants and their installers may be fingerprinted. Some hospitals require a staff member to be with the installers at all times. Areas such as the Intensive Care Unit or Burn Unit may take extra time for installation due to the condition of the patients.

Understanding Procedures
Unexpected circumstances such as infectious diseases in the ICU may prohibit installers from entering rooms, which means return trips need to be scheduled. Understanding the hospital’s procedures is important. Because there are protocols that must be followed, art consultants cannot schedule an installation a day or two before the art needs to be hung; it has to be planned and scheduled at least 2 – 3 weeks in advance.

With unforeseen circumstances, healthcare installations may require return trips and extra time. Keep this in mind when trying to estimate how long an installation will take.

After The Installation
When completing an installation at a healthcare facility or any corporate job, our company presents a receiving form that is signed by the project manager. The form lists the number of pieces installed, the purchase order, the address of the job site, the contact person, and the date. It is critical to have a signed delivery receipt, especially when trying to get paid for a job. In several cases when tracking overdue receivables, I have been asked to send proof that all of the artwork was received. Make a point of getting a signed delivery receipt for all finished work.

A Challenging Yet Satisfying Business
Getting on board with healthcare companies can be a time-consuming and tedious process. Pages of forms must be submitted with information about workers compensation, insurance, business documents, banking, references, etc. Contracts are lengthy. Turnaround times are sometimes unrealistic. With that being said, working in the field of healthcare can be satisfying and lucrative. It takes a very detailed, focused, and hard working individual to succeed.

You may also be interested in reading Barbara Markoff’s article “Art, in Healthcare, is An Integral Part of The Design Plan”.

Visit Barbara Markoff’s Artrageous! Gallery website http://www.theartconsultant.biz/

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ART In Healthcare For ARTISTS ~ An e-Guide

Selling your art to the Healthcare Art Market is a wonderful opportunity to expand your sales and reputation and bring healing to others.

Imagine having your art installed in wellness centers, medical facilities, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities around the world.

In this e-Guide you can find out about the many venues that seek art, if your art meets their criteria, how and where to approach art consultants in the industry, and much more in this comprehensive and fascinating e-Guide.

Find out more about ART In Healthcare For ARTISTS ~ An e-Guide by Renee Phillips.

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Read more articles by Meg Black “A Work of Art is Not Complete Until it is Shared” and “An Art Project with Hospice in Memory of My Father”and“Connecting The Kinesthetic With The Aesthetic”

The Art Celebrates the Beauty of Nearby Walden Woods

By Meg Black

When I was asked to create art for the new Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, MA, I knew where to go for inspiration.

I sought to create a group of three paintings inspired by the natural environment of nearby Walden Pond and its most famous resident, Henry David Thoreau, who lived in a small cabin on the property for two years following the death of his brother.

This grouping of paintings, which I have titled, “How Paintings Tell a Story”, attempts to celebrate the beauty of Walden Woods while simultaneously acting as metaphors for life’s story, much as Thoreau did in his many essays on the same subject.

The painting on the left suggests sunrise seeping through the trees, breathing life onto the earth. The light source coming from behind and casting a long shadow mimics stage lighting, giving the painting a theatrical quality. This sets the stage for a life to come, a promise of a future to be explored. The trees point to the right, guiding the viewer to the painting in the center.

The central painting includes a pathway in the composition. This suggests moving forward into unknown terrain, climbing a path that is a bit crooked and uneven, but guided by the light that is now in the background. The open space in this composition is on the right of the painting – the light blue of the sky that holds a sense of distance, a way forward; the bend of the trees guiding the wanderer into the distance.

The painting on the right contains the body of water that one expects to find on Walden Pond: calm, cool, and a deep Prussian blue that bespeaks a brisk New England autumn day. The trees shift to the left, allowing the viewer to return to the first painting and engage with all three paintings as a whole.

It is my hope that visitors to the Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln will find peace and serenity…

The trees are included in all three of the paintings to represent the rootedness of life. The water is symbolic of ephemeral nature, another visual and spiritual symbol recognized in many cultures throughout history.

As a naturalist, Thoreau understood that the path to a greater understanding of life is through an understanding of the natural world around us: “We can never have enough of nature,” he wrote. “We must be refreshed by the sight of the wilderness with its living and its decaying trees.”

It is my hope that visitors to the Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln will find peace and serenity as they rest in front of these paintings, whose story mimics those of the people they have come to visit.

Read more articles by Meg Black “A Work of Art is Not Complete Until it is Shared” and “An Art Project with Hospice in Memory of My Father” and “Connecting The Kinesthetic With The Aesthetic”

Visit Meg Black’s website megblack.com

Learn more about the Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, MA here.

Learn more about the e-book “Sell Your Art in the Healthcare Art Market”.

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A Transformative Program
Based in New York, NY, The Creative Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated “to bringing the creative arts to people with cancer, chronic illnesses, and through all stages of life.” This program is invaluable. According to the Creative Center Hospital, “Patients and staff quickly discover that they are more than their disease as they begin to explore art-making, some for the first time in their lives.”

On a daily basis, The Creative Center holds creative arts workshops in literary, visual, and performing arts. These classes are available to everyone who is receiving treatment for, or survivors of cancer or other chronic illnesses. Registration (by phone) is required. The classes are offered either as all-day workshops or can be taken in a series of four evening classes. All class venues are ADA compliant.

Staff Also Receives Gratification
The hospitals derive many benefits from offering the creative services. Nurses and support staff receive the gratification that they are offering something special to aid in the patient’s well-being. In many cases the hospitals provide exhibition space for the patients’ artwork providing a sense of pride and increased satisfaction for everyone who comes in contact with it.

Artists: How to Apply to AIR
Careful consideration is given prior to being selected and trained in the Artist-In-Residence program. Once approved artists receive support and on-going supervision by The Creative Center staff. The art programs in the hospital environment are customized to each patient and depend on the specific health care setting. As a responsible member of the hospital team participating artists commit to a minimum of one year of work, working one day each week.

If you are an artist who wants to apply for an AIR position you are asked to send a resume, letter of intent, and two references to Robin Glazer.

Online Art Gallery
The Creative Center has an online art gallery that represents artists who are either in treatment for, or survivors of, illness as well as their caregivers, and those working in the healthcare field. Artists are encouraged to visit the website to determine if their artwork is a good fit and then submit their portfolios for review.

Purchases of the art are encouraged which helps support the mission of The Creative Center. On the website you can browse art by artist name or medium; art by artists living with illness, and artists who are participating in the AIR Program. Here is a link.

Visit The Creative Center website http://www.thecreativecenter.org/

Visit the blog AIR Waves to read about case stories and project instructions.

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Everywhere we look we notice a growing emphasis on promoting wellness and preventing illness in our society. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts double-digit job growth through 2022 in the field of healthcare and the health services industry.

Colleges and universities have been responding to this shift by adding new majors in these fields of study. Graduates will soon be trained to work in a variety of settings –- schools, clinics, non-profit agencies, business and government agencies – to promote wellness, prevent disease, and improve the overall health of individuals of all ages, in both cities and rural areas around the world. They will be prepared to work in wellness education, healthcare management, occupational therapy, fitness, adventure education programs, as well as healthcare design.

There is no doubt that the visual, literary, and performing arts are flourishing in hospitals, outpatient programs, hospices, nursing and retirement facilities, as well as other healthcare institutions.

Barbara Markoff is the owner of Artrageous! in San Diego, California, an industry leader in the field of art consultation and the healthcare art market. She has a diverse clientele and regularly works with business owners, high-level executives, architects, project managers, interior designers, and administrators to develop art programs specifically tailored to their type of business. She is also the author of Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant: The Handbook for Corporate Art Consultation. She emphasizes, “Working in the field of healthcare can be satisfying and lucrative. It takes a very detailed, focused, and hard working individual to succeed.” Read her article “Getting Started in The Healthcare Market” on this website.

It makes sense for artists to look at these developments as opportunities to share their art, creativity and passion to make a positive difference. One such artist who is advancing in this field is Meg Black. She is internationally recognized and among the few artists working with natural fibers. Her landscapes, seascapes, New England scenes and garden views have attracted many private collectors, corporations and members of the healthcare industry.

In her article “Art For Healthcare: Connecting The Kinesthetic With The Aesthetic” she explains, “My goal as an artist, is to re-create the feeling of the original experience in my work in order to share it with the viewer. This is how I understand the aesthetic experience: a way in which the artist communicates their understanding of experience with their viewers in order to share its impact. This approach works well when designing art for Health Care Facilities. Images of nature enable us to transform, experience and connect to other realms. By mirroring the feeling of nature in my work, I am able to bring comfort to the patients, visitors, and staff who use Health Care Facilities.”

Numerous hospitals have developed art programs to address the needs of their patients. For example, since 1986, the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Washington has presented an Art Program for the benefit and enjoyment of our community of patients, visitors, faculty and staff. The UWMC Art Program has a permanent art collection of over 1200 art works, including the Contemporary NW Fine Art Collection, The International Textile Collection, and two Galleries that feature special projects and exhibitions.

These institutions need and rely on artists to not only provide art for the environments but to share their art-making skills with patients. For example, The Creative Center in NYC, NY offers free workshops in the visual, performing and literary arts “to develop a community of support in which women, men, and children with cancer improve the quality of their lives through creativity as they meet the challenges of illness, treatment, and survivorship.” The center, founded in 1995, also works within thirteen area hospitals in New York City, and has developed a training institute to teach artists from around the country to work with cancer patients in hospitals.

Many artists can find rewarding projects in many different places. The venues for their art include healthcare facilities, senior residences, acute care hospitals, surgery centers, medical office buildings, physicians offices, rehabilitation centers, as well as residential and corporate environments.
I have written an e-Guide to help artists increase their sales in this widespread and growing art market. Learn more about it.

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As an artist, I am inspired by nature. When considering nature, I do not try to copy the natural world as I see it but, rather, as I feel it. Moved by the natural light and organic shapes I observe in the places I visit seeking inspiration, I try to capture in my work the essence and mood of the place as well as to formulate a graphic interpretation of what I see.

I create my work with beaten abaca, a natural fiber which is used to make nautical rope and artist canvas. I love how the texture of this media provides an almost three-dimensional quality to the finished surface, thus mimicking nature in all its splendor.

Learning About The Good Work of Hospice

Twenty years ago I met Diane Stringer, CEO of Hospice of the North Shore (now called Care Dimensions), when she became a patron of my artwork. She originally bought one of my paintings through an art gallery, and we became friends. I learned from her just how sensitive and caring Hospice staff was for patients and their families.

I had the opportunity to find this out more personally for myself when several years ago my dad was diagnosed with cancer. He opted not to undergo any invasive treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation. As he became more ill, our family came to rely more heavily on Hospice care. The hospice staff came to our house and made my dad as comfortable as they could, and relieved my mom for some much needed rest. I thought of Diane often during this time and how central she is to the Hospice community.

After my dad died, I realized we were both really creative thinkers in different ways. And while my creativity came from art making and his was in business, we both understood the importance of sharing our love for our work with others and using what skills we have to our potential.

About The Hospice Annual Auction: How It Helps Others

As a subscriber to the Hospice mailing list, I became aware of their annual auction, which began 22 years ago. Proceeds from the auction provide comprehensive and compassionate support for children and adult affected by advanced illness, death and loss. Although I don’t typically donate my artwork to auctions, I could tell this event was different. The artwork in the auction was prominently displayed on the Hospice Web Site Home page, along with the artist’s biography and link to his web site. The original work was showcased in a local and highly respected art gallery along with a reception for art patrons and auction organizers to attend and meet the artist. A high quality reproduction of the artwork was printed on the auction invitation, and Giclées of the painting were offered for sale, both at the gallery and at the auction itself. Most importantly, there was only one artist and one painting to be auctioned, not several works competing for exposure. And, Hospice hired a professional auctioneer to manage the event.

My Artwork For The Auction: Enjoying The Process

Realizing that this was an example of the creative thinking I shared with my dad in that it was a good business opportunity to get out and introduce myself to a whole new audience, I called Diane and offered to donate a painting for the June, 2016 auction. She happily agreed, and I have been working on ideas for the painting ever since.

As the auction will be held at a Yacht Club, and coordinate with a sailing regatta, the subject of the painting will be about sailing in New England. I love how the ropes used by the sailors will be made of the same abaca that I will use to make the painting.

I have been working on sketches for the painting, meeting with auction staff, and, this past summer, accompanied my photographer friend on his Boston Whaler to photograph actual sailing races. I plan to document my creative process, post images of the work in progress, and ultimately share the finished painting on my blog and in my newsletter. And, I will be channeling my dad the whole time, and know that he is saying, yep, this is how it’s done!

Meg has promised to share the work in progress and the finished art work with us when it is complete. I look forward to seeing it and reading more articles like this one. Please write your comments about this article below.

Read another article written by Meg Black Art For Healthcare: Connecting the Kinesthetic With The Aesthetic.

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