Art has the power to transform, in a positive way, people and places that have been destroyed, decimated and are filled with sorrow. Artists can help those who suffer recover a sense of self-identity and joy. A shining example of such an artist accomplishing these wonders is Lily Yeh, 74. Through the Barefoot Artists Organization which she founded in 2002, Ms. Yeh travels all over the world and tirelessly brings together people who live in such despairing environments into a dance of art. She is one of our favorite world changers.

In our recent conversation Ms. Yeh explained to me, it is “like making fire in the frozen darkness of the winter’s night. Through the collaborative action of creating beauty we empower ourselves and others to open the hell gate of slums so that fresh air and sunlight can pour in.”

She engages people in the work of transforming the environment of their communities through beauty and in so doing honors their humanity. Her projects have taken her to a rundown area of Philadelphia; the slums of Nairobi; to a genocide site in Rwanda; the West Bank of Palestine; impoverished communities in Taiwan; a city dump in Korogocho, Kenya and many other places.

In 2002 Lily Yeh won the Arts and Healing Network AHN Award as founder of the Village of Arts and Humanities.

Engaging Local Children in Workshops
Ms. Yeh likes to begin her projects by organizing workshops with the local children and invites them to paint and draw their thoughts. They discover the creative power of art and their enthusiasm reaches out to parents, friends and neighbors — eventually involving entire neighborhoods.

She uses the native resources and teaches skills that incorporate construction, painting, tile making and design. Each project Lily undertakes reflects the needs and artistic culture of that community.

Genocide Memorial Park Project in Rwanda
One project took her to Rwanda (2004-present) where she was invited to design and create the Rugerero Genocide Memorial building. At the time she wondered how she, with little resources, could go there and build the genocide memorial.

“Life beckons and I responded”, she said. What resulted was a beautiful Genocide Memorial Park and a bone chamber for reburial. By involving the local people in the making of this memorial, the grieving survivors in Rwanda felt a sense of peace. The healing process began, and as Ms. Yeh reminds us, art and beauty heal.

“It’s possible to transform the violent energy of our time into a culture of kindness.
 All things are possible through the openness of our mind, the gentleness of our spirit, and the act of understanding and embracing.” ~ Lily Yeh

Mural Painting in The West Bank
Ms. Yeh just returned from her fourth trip to the West Bank, Palestine where she engaged the people of Nablus to help in the painting of a mural on an ancient stone wall. Designed by Robert Shetterly, this mural immediately birthed a long lost feeling of pride and hope.

She also encouraged some of the young despairing men to help brighten up and enliven the spirit of the place by enlisting them in painting rusted iron doors with bright colors. The simple act of bringing bright color to the doorways uplifted everyone in the community.

Another mural was painted in El Akaba — a tiny village situated in the “Section C” of Palestinian territory. The resulting artwork illustrated the longing in the heart of people and supported their sense of identity. “Art helps people to remember that they do not suffer in vain,” she emphasized. The energy created brought some magic and transformed a fragile place into an area of beauty.

“So many artists have such great skill and on their life’s journey they can do so much more to help inspire justice. Listen to the voice in your hearts, be courageous to respond to life’s calling; take creative action which guided by compassion will then lead to transformation”. ~ Lily Yeh

Lily Yeh’s Awakening Creativity Workshops
Lily Yeh has been recognized throughout the world for her Awakening Creativity Workshops which inspires others to use the Barefoot Artists’ methodology to encourage people of all ages to bring, through art, the ideas of sustainability, cultural awareness and community building.

The list of her’s accomplishments is long. She has received many awards, the most recent being the University of Pennsylvania Urban Leadership Award.

When Ms. Yeh gave an address at the People’s State of the Union address at the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture where she is a cabinet member, she stated, “It’s possible to transform the violent energy of our time into a culture of kindness.
 All things are possible through the openness of our mind, the gentleness of our spirit, and the act of understanding and embracing.”

Lily Yeh’s Message to Artists
Ms. Yeh encourages all artists to make a difference. “So many artists have such great skill and on their life’s journey they can do so much more to help inspire justice. Listen to the voice in your hearts, be courageous to respond to life’s calling; take creative action which guided by compassion will then lead to transformation.”

Her work is evidence that we who inhabit our earth can help turn ravaged land into the place of beauty that it once was.

A movie about Lily Yeh and Barefoot Artists Organization has been released. The LA Times wrote: “Poignant look at transformative artist Lily Yeh”. Learn more about it at http://barefootartistmovie.com/

Visit the Barefoot Artists Organization’s website www.barefootartists.org

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As part of our ongoing series of eco-art and artists The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS is pleased to introduce the creative and purposeful work of Alexandre Dang, a French visual eco-artist. Dang uses the energy of solar technology as the animating force in his work by bringing together, in a very appealing way, science, environmental concerns, and humanism. He has created joyful tableaux of hundreds of kinetically designed flowers called the “Dancing Solar Flowers.”

Dang, who currently resides in Brussels, Belgium, was educated as an engineer in the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole National des Ponts and Chausses in Paris. After finishing school, he became convinced of the dire need to raise awareness about global climate concerns. He began to figure out how to combine his profound knowledge of technology with his artistic abilities by incorporating environmentally friendly technologies into his work. He developed an artistic moving creation, a flower, which uses the sun’s energy as the only source of power. His iconic flower illustrates the fact that one can combine successfully eco friendly technology and renewable energy.

The “Dancing Solar Flowers” have been featured in sites around the world, including the Belgian and European Pavilion of World Expo Shanghai 2010. They have joined museum collections including the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) of Taipei, and others too numerous to mention.

While Dang’s works have a universal appeal, he is hoping to attract the younger generation to the realities of using solar energy. To this end, Dang founded Solar Solidarity International as a non-profit organization which raises awareness of and support for solar photovoltaic electrification of schools in developing countries. He states “that although the sun provides 10,000 times more energy to the earth than humans need, more than 1.3 billion people still do not have access to electricity”.

Dang’s artistic and scientific background continues to evolve in the direction of new projects. Currently he is developing new machines, completely powered by solar energy, that make “solar paintings” and “solar drawings.” The first exhibition of such solar artwork recently occurred at the “Van Gogh Space” in Arles, France.

As we look to see what advances have been made in bringing awareness and solutions to the current global climate crises, one cannot help but see some hope with the measures adopted by the COP21 Paris Climate Change Summit, December 2015. As the president of the conference, Laurent Fabius said upon the signing of the agreement among 195 countries “Long Live the planet. Long live humanity. Long live life itself”. Alexandre Dang represents both an artist and scientist who has taken to heart this mantra through his eco-friendly creations.

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Deane V. Bowers, deanevbowersart.com, is a self-described self-taught artist who lives in Seabrook Island, South Carolina. She is driven by a desire, “to be a responsible Environmental Steward in every aspect of my life. As an artist, whenever possible I always use reclaimed, recycled, repurposed and Eco Friendly materials.” Her purpose is to create art “that will be a tiny spark towards making the world a more loving, gentler, kinder place.” During the pandemic she felt the need to reach out to others and bring positivity. In this article Deane tells us what she did and about how artists transformed cardboard into hope and healing in the “Together While Apart Project”. We are delighted to add Deane to our “World Changers” series and also our “Artists Stories” series.

Everyone has their own story about how they experienced the loss, sadness, anxiety and unrest during the pandemic. Living on a barrier island outside of Charleston, SC, I wondered how I could help others cope with the grief and loneliness while experiencing so much isolation and sorrow myself. I had a strong calling to find a way to offer some form of Hope and Healing to others, no matter how small it was.

Unwilling to sit on the sidelines and watch the immense suffering caused by Covid, widespread racial injustices and community unrest, I wanted to find a way to bring people together and put the “social” back into social media. I thought that if I could unite a small group of people to be Hope Ambassadors, even people physically separated, we could work towards creating something bigger than ourselves. Collectively we might find joy, fellowship, and comfort and that somehow we could use our gifts to make a difference. I wanted to be part of the solution, to offer something positive, happy and bright to our hurting world.

I imagined a large art project to foster community and encourage Hope and Healing.

Determined to discover how I could do this, I turned to my own method of coping. As an artist, creativity has always been a way to process things and find positivity in life. I had recently read a blog about how a company created a giant quilt project to bring their employees together; an updated version of the old quilting circles. I wondered how I could create a similar collaboration based on the concept of community and put my own unique spin on it.

So on a whim, I imagined a large art project to foster community and encourage Hope and Healing. I was able to recruit 18 diverse artists from 8 different states thanks to social media. These men and women represented both coasts and were extremely excited to get involved and use their creative talents to help. My goal was that through working on the project, each artist would find joy and our collective joys would multiply and provide comfort to a broader audience.

Coordinating this collaboration from afar posed a few challenges. At the start of the project, the only abundant art supplies I had to send each participant were cardboard pieces from recycled shipping boxes I had accumulated. Because much of my own art is created with repurposed items, this was a perfect theme for the “Together While Apart Project”. Each artist received several 6” x 6” squares of cut cardboard to decorate anyway they desired. It is proof that you don’t have to have fancy art supplies in order to make art.

There was no right or wrong way to decorate each square. My only request was that each participant’s squares reflect their emotions at the time; any significant feelings brought forth by this moment in history. My hope was that through the creative process, each artist would find a sense of comfort, peace and community.

After many months of long distant creativity and communication among the artists, this amazing piece is finished. Because we were unwilling to just sit by, the Together While Apart artists had a strong desire to be apart of something bigger than ourselves. This amazing artwork is evidence that change can happen with just a tiny spark of an idea.

There are always kind hearted souls working on bringing Hope and Healing to others.

I was so grateful that what started as a small thought, blossomed into such a creative endeavor, uniting so many people. At the beginning of this project, I had no clear vision of what the final piece would look like. However, I knew the world needed to see this group’s creative gifts. I also knew that the participants needed to share these gifts in order to process the current situation our world was in. I can say with certainty that I am amazed at the outcome. This collaboration tells an inspirational story of resiliency, connection and purpose during a pandemic that none of us could have imagined a few years ago.

And now, it is time for this special piece of art to find its home. The recipient is yet to be determined, but it will be a non profit or medical facility whose mission resonates with the project. My wish is that wherever it is displayed, that it inspires love, warmth, empowerment, and joy – the emotions we all felt while working on it.

I hope that when other people see it, they remember that our collective strength comes when we show love for one another. That when we connect with one another, we can work together for the common good.

And that despite the utter chaos and sadness in our world, there are always kind hearted souls working on bringing Hope and Healing to others. This is evident in the 19 artists who came together for this project, who had no other goal then wanting to heal our communities.

Learn more about our “World Changers” series.

Visit Deane’s website deanevbowersart.com

Read Deane’s article on the National Museum of American History website americanhistory.si.edu/stories-of-2020/story

Join Deane on Instagram Instagram.com/DeaneVBowersArt

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Drawn To Help is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization created by artist Steve Barr to supplement existing art programs at hospitals, camps and treatment facilities around the country. This outstanding organization helps arrange “celebrity” appearances by successful cartoonists and talented artists who want to improve children’s lives. When Steve learned about our call for artists to share their stories, he reached out to tell us all about Drawn To Help. We’re honored to share his article here. After you read it,  I encourage you to visit the website to learn more about it and how you can volunteer, contribute, or donate. If you’re an artist or cartoonist see how you can help in your local area. ~ Renée Phillips

By Steve Barr, Founder, Drawn To Help

Did you ever read articles or studies about the deep impact art can have on healing and wonder if the results they reported were really true?

I have. And I found some of the claims to be rather unbelievable. That is, until I got to see those magical moments happen right in front of my eyes. Over and over again. And it is simply amazing.

Several years ago, a dear friend’s son was diagnosed with Leukemia. She knew that I was a cartoonist who visited schools and libraries, and she mentioned to me that she had seen the deep impact art programs could have on pediatric patients, then suggested that I might want to visit a children’s hospital from time to time.

Little did I know that she was sending me off on the adventure of a lifetime. What has happened since then has been absolutely stunning. Those first few visits turned into something much larger than I had ever imagined. Mostly through word of mouth, my cartooning programs for children in hospitals literally exploded. It has now become an organization known as “Drawn To Help”, and we take really talented professional cartoonists to visit young patients at multiple treatment facilities in seven states.

We’re planning to continue to expand as much as we possibly can in the coming years. But what I’d really like to share with you is what I’ve seen, and what many of our volunteers have witnessed as well.

There is something about the word “cartoons” that swings children’s hearts and doors open. For example, on a recent visit to a hospital, I was asked to do bedside visits. We went to the room of a young girl who was suffering from such deep depression that she had not spoken to her parents or staff members in days. Everyone in the room was stunned when she was asked if she’d like to learn how to draw cartoons and she perked up and said yes!

A talented caricaturist accompanied me, and he drew for the parents while I sketched with that little girl. By the time we left her room, she had moved herself from her bed into her wheelchair and was excitedly talking to her parents about what she wanted to do when she went home.

Creating art had made her begin looking towards the future again!

We’ve seen that with young cancer patients, kids who are waiting for transplants and so many others. Another impressive impact we’ve watched happen over and over again is that children who have lost their appetites due to their treatments suddenly begin nibbling on food while they’re drawing, because they forgot they weren’t hungry.

In one case, I was asked to visit an 11 year-old who was in hospice care. She had actually written a “bucket list” of things she wanted to do before she passed, and one of the things on her list was to learn how to draw cartoons. She had not eaten for two days.

When we got done drawing together, she surprised everyone in the room by sitting up and asking, “Can I order a bagel with cream cheese and a really LARGE orange juice?”

Drawn To Help gives each child we visit a free packet of art supplies that they get to keep, so they can continue experiencing the healing aspects of creativity long after our volunteers have gone home. And, we give them free art instruction books. When I gave that little one her gift pack and books, she asked if she could have five more.

I smiled and asked her why she wanted five, and she said “My brothers and sisters are coming to visit to say goodbye, and I want to have nice presents for them.”

She got them. And a big smile.

Those gift packs are an essential part of what Drawn To Help does. They enable “our kids” to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of creating their own art for hours and hours after the visits are done. I’ve personally witnessed children who were in the middle of painful treatments suddenly begin to giggle when they got to draw funny pictures during the process. I’ve seen their worries and pain go away.

To give you an idea of the huge positive impact art can have on children, here’s a quote from an e-mail I received recently: “Hey Steve! This is Madysen, Zion’s older sister. I just wanted to email you to let you know that I am so, so, appreciative for you being in my little brother’s life. You are a light in his world and helped bring him out of his shell, just a few years back he wouldn’t even communicate with us as much as he does now, he used to be so quiet about his art and not let anyone see it, now he takes pride in it! And he used to be so embarrassed about his (high-functioning) autism, but now he lets the world know that he not only has it, but owns it, and he shows other kids with ASD that they can do anything they set their hearts and minds to. I just want to say, Thank You. Thank you so much, I am forever grateful for you being in his life.” ~ Madysen McCarty

Drawn To Help is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Drawn To Help are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

If you’d like to learn more about what Drawn To Help does, these links will help you find more information about us.

Visit the Drawn to Help website: drawntohelp.com

Join Drawn to Help on Social Media
Facebook Page: facebook.com/DrawnToHelp/

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“One of the deepest desires of the human soul is to create.” Dieter Uchdorf

Bringing Joy to Others Through Creativity

By Maryan Myres Shumway

Children with disabilities are being looked on with more respect and understanding. The faint of voice is being heard–and that brings peace to hearts, and I believe, nations.

Since I have a teenage son Elias with autism who loves art, I decided to create an experiment. What would it be like for him to teach other children and teenagers with disabilities? Would we be able to detect changes in the kids? Could he instruct and lead in a classroom setting? I knew whatever happened would be an adventure. That was about one year ago… and the experiment is ongoing.

Every Wednesday morning we load up our bags of art supplies, pick some music to play and head out to a school for disabilities here in Doha, Qatar.

Perhaps it has been one of the best experiments (or should I say “discoveries”) of my life. I have seen children, teenagers, and young adults brim with joy as they create. Behavior, focus, confidence, and awareness have increased. As my son, Elias has exclaimed, “Everyone is a lot calmer now from the beginning of the year, Mom.” As I reflect, maybe we all are a little more calm, peaceful, happy.

To watch children with disabilities develop and see their reservoir of creativity has lifted and changed me. Some of them, in the beginning, would not touch a brush, pencil, or paint. They adamantly refused. We modeled for them that twirling different colors of paint and mixing them together brought them wonder and more coordination. And better yet, to dab and press paint over paper is to excavate new joy.

To watch children and teenagers who showed no expression before becoming increasingly responsive by a simple art project has shown me how much the human spirit needs and even craves, to create. Exploring and discovering become the daily norm when we dare to create and invite others to do it too.

At the end of March 2018, we (with some other typical teenagers) put together an exhibit of the work that our students had been working on all year long. Everyone marveled at our students’ intricate compositions. They were beautifully composed and brought brightness to the room. But more than anything I will tuck in my pocket the joy of watching our students’ faces this year. To see their change of expressions and emotions bring me back again and again to the art table. As the months have gone by this school year, I have seen people permanently transform–myself included.

In the corner of my eye, I watch for the parents as they arrive with their children. Sometimes I see anguish, a shadow of exhaustion and sadness. I know the feeling. I have been in that terrain myself–waiting for some light to flicker in my path. I go over to them, sometimes with a translator, and express encouragement. I show them their child’s work and often point to how the child is absorbed and happy. I report to them that I see growth. They believe my earnest words. I detect the return of hope and cheer.

When the parents tell me their kids want to do art projects at home and they see improvement, I feel immense joy. If I could look in the rear view mirror of my own self ten years ago, I hung on every word of support anyone gave during that time about my son. I remembered the words of encouragement and would replay them in my mind when I felt a shadow coming.

As Elias and I teach art to children with disabilities, I marvel at their progress and new-found joy. Furthermore, I teach art to support the parents who are on my same autism journey. And I teach art to see my own son with autism learn to teach, love, and give hope. I glimpse a sense of awakening purpose in him too–he knowing that he is making a difference. I would say we are, in a backhand sort of way, bringing healing to different countries in this region.

Children with disabilities are being looked on with more respect and understanding. The faint of voice is being heard–and that brings peace to hearts, and I believe, nations.

Art transcends languages, skillsets, differences. As the music swirls in the air and paint begins to flow, a peace enters in the classroom. And I guess you could say we are all healing together.

To learn more about Maryan and Elias visit the Opening The Sky Blog: openingthesky.com

The Benefits of Art Expression

By John Danks

I lead a life that some may consider simple in my studio apartment. I love to study art history and develop my craft. My full time job is as a Certified Recovery Specialist in the drug and alcohol field. I have the opportunity to facilitate art as meditation and as expression and healing. For me, art has been the next best thing to pure meditation.

My main ministry has been as a volunteer at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. For almost six years I have been rolling my “Art Cart” that I implemented and fund down the halls of the hospital, where I involve the young patients who are enduring lengthy medical treatments. Creating art gives them a sense of accomplishment, self-control, and helps lift their souls in their unsettling situation.

I just love being there and any problems I may have melt away after I leave. Not only does this keep me gratefully balanced but also has a contemplative effect after being with and sharing art as healing with the children.

On these visits I bring my art cart stocked with everything from colored pencils to markers and more. My intention is to act as an “Artist Buddy” to bring kids and their parents some uplifting relief while they are waiting for or receiving treatment. The children’s eyes light up when they see me and the art cart, especially on Mondays in the oncology department where they wait eagerly for my arrival. This is a great opportunity that they allow me to go down there and be a part of their clinics.

When I began doing this, at first the parents were a bit leery. Now, they are excited to see the benefits of art expression and the way it lifts the children’s spirits. And on many occasions, the parents themselves create art which gives them relief from the stresses of seeing their children in a most difficult situation.

I get to know these kids because they are there frequently. A six year old boy was receiving treatment for his Leukemia and we were busy immersed in some art activity. His mother was present and nearby. After a while this young boy with excitement looked at his mother with his pinky finger extended and said “Mom, I promise I am going to try not to look at video games as much and do more art.” He added, “Art makes my head feel better.”

There are some heartbreaks also. Christina, eight years old, had a very serious affliction. I would see her in the hospital and we would play a game of “Cat and Mouse” — she in her wheelchair and me chasing her with my art cart through the halls — laughing and giggling all the while. I remember the day she received her first wig as the chemotheraphy was affecting her body and she lost her hair. She was so excited with her new wig so I painted a portraiture of her with her preference of blue and pink butterflies in the background. It was so heartbreaking when she passed away in December of 2016, but her family now has a special portrait of her with those courageous eyes.

Cate Murray, writer for Bristol pilot states, “Artists appear to be happy people, with light, color and peacekeeping the company to the end of the each day. The only thing artists really need are to be bold and adventurous and John unselfishly, by his example, encourages others to not let a clean piece of white paper deter them. In fact, especially with children, he has found out that youngsters do not let anything deter them.”

The ultimate vision of my art cart endeavor would be to have a few more volunteers to manage the art cart and to have the art cart rolling down the halls of the children’s hospital five days of the week.

Visit John Danks’ website www.johndanksart.com/the-art-cartist.html

Join him on Facebook: facebook.com/john.danks.1293

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Capturing Healing Energy in Photography

By Dick and Rosanne

Our photographic images celebrate the unique studies of the awesomeness of nature. The purpose of our work in nature photography is to transplant the healing energy of nature to the walls of homes and offices to be appreciated throughout the day.

Most of our pictures are taken in our home and garden. We grow many interesting plants, both indoors and out, wild and cultivated.  Focusing on the world around us has given us an appreciation of the incredible beauty and power of nature.

If you sit in nature and start looking around, you will notice things never noticed before. Many things we take for granted have wonderful things to show us. The graceful leanings of a flower, the play of light and shadows, the incredible structure of something as common as the dandelion and moving patterns of clouds all engage us.

The interplay of insects on plants, colors of a sunset, and the color gradations of a flower petal enliven the senses. Patterns can be seen wherever we look — even the smallest of flowers have beautifully complex structures.

Once you start really looking at your environment you start appreciating colors and patterns in things both large and small. As you practice observing, appreciation of the environment grows, and a certain contentment claims you.

It Starts With A Healthy Garden

In our time here, we’ve watched the land heal and renew itself and us. It has brought new life which manifested as new plants and a variety of garden denizens. What pesticide producers consider weeds have their own unique qualities, beauty and healing properties. Everything in nature exists for a reason and a higher purpose.

We’ve spent many years cultivating our land into a natural oasis. By avoiding pesticides and other harmful chemicals we allowed our natural tapestry to flourish. We have learned that our photographs  reawaken viewers’ interest in nature and entice people to participate more in it and become involved in protecting it.

In our time here, we’ve watched the land heal and renew itself and us. It has brought new life which manifested as new plants and a variety of garden denizens. What pesticide producers consider weeds have their own unique qualities, beauty and healing properties. Everything in nature exists for a reason and a higher purpose.

Every plant and every eco system have their own unique offering and abundance to share. We freeze moments in time, so they can be read in leisure. You can’t possibly see as much as is there in a glance. The more you look at it, the more you see and the more is offered for your edification.

As we continue to capture these moments in photographs others can reflect and explore this remarkable multi-level offerings at their leisure and over time. We have also created sacred geometry mandala-like images of plants and flowers to help draw in the viewer in to see aspects of nature that would not have been noticed otherwise.

Visit their website DickandRosanne.com
Visit Dick and Rosanne’s youtube channel to enjoy a series of relaxing nature meditation videos.

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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We are grateful and honored to Laurie Marshall who graciously submitted this article to The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS about the art mural healing art project created one year after after the tragic Parkland shooting in Florida. It transformed a devastating and painful experience into a healing process. Laurie Marshall founded the Singing Tree Project in 1999 when she heard eight year-old Meredith Miller ask “What if the whole world made a painting together?” This organization has brought to fruition the vision of all of humanity working together and proves that “collaboration is not only possible, but it produces extraordinary results.” To date, the Singing Tree Mural Project is responsible for creating 74 murals involving 16,000 people from 50 countries. Laurie is co-founder of a Waldorf-inspired parent cooperative named Hearthstone. She has facilitated learning with universities, government agencies and businesses. In coaching teachers and administrators in public and private schools, she explains, “I focus on developing meaningful projects to heal community heartbreak (academic mastery always follows), violence prevention and peace-building through art.”

We are delighted to add her to our growing series about “World Changers”.

Turning Pain into Beauty

By Laurie Marshall

Westglades Middle School in Parkland, Florida coped with the first anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2019. There is nothing more humbling than facing the grief and helplessness that arises from the act of murder of innocent people. The shooter had gone to the middle school for three years. The staff had worried about him, but he slipped through the cracks.

Many of the students who died had gone to the middle school as well. One high school student had visited, Deborah Golding, her middle school art teacher, the week before the shooting. She came to tell Ms. Golding what a great teacher she was. And then her young life was over. Ms. Golding could not contain her tears as she told me the story.

Building Peace Through Art

I facilitated the 75th Singing Tree mural through the help of De Palazzo, Safe Schools Director at Equality Florida and a private benefactor. The Singing Tree Project is an international collaborative mural project the incorporates Peace Building Through Art, inspired by Nature. Each mural envisions healing of heartbreak and creates a shared vision of success.

A Collaborative Image Dedicated to Love

At Westglades Middle School, 350 art and drama students creatively processed their community’s nightmare together by making a collaborative image dedicated to love. The principal, Matthew Bianchi, was under pressure to have the middle school locked down on the anniversary of the shooting. The Broward County School District is entangled in law suits for negligence, because they failed to prevent the massacre which left 17 people injured and 17 people dead.

Only one-third of the students attended school on the first year anniversary. The rest of the students were home with their families or participating in memorial ceremonies at the high school.

The Lead Design Team and The Equality Club

Principal Bianchi, with support from art teacher Ms. Golding, chose to have the students work together outside on the Mangrove Singing Tree of Love – expressing themselves instead of being shut inside the classroom.

The Lead Design Team of the project was six students from the Equality Club – a gay-straight alliance which supports LGBTQ students. As facilitator, I incorporated the club members’ ideas for the mural, including the Mangrove Tree and its roots, a peace symbol, diamonds and stars in the sky, hanging flags that symbolize different sexualities, a rainbow earth where differences are celebrated, figures in the trees and nested hearts. The Equality Club ‘s vision served as inspiration for their school, which increased the status of this oft-bullied group.

As the students worked, they spoke tangentially of the massacre. They expressed their sadness on this tragic day and how glad they were to be outside, to be together, to be using their hands, to be immersed in color, to be making decisions, to be creative, to solve problems in a finite space, to invite their classmates to add their artwork, to connect, to touch the wall, to touch the paint.

A Symbol of Strength and Diversity

Westglades principal, Matthew Bianchi, said of the project, “The mural is beautiful and a powerful symbol of strength and diversity. The painting of the mural was therapeutic to our students who are healing from the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas. It will be a constant reminder of the resolve our community has.”

You can see a short slide show of the process of making this tribute to love and resilience.  The goal is to create soul strengthening imagery to deal with the heartbreak of gun violence and young death, transforming pain into beauty. The project strives to help prevent violence, to create a world where every child knows they belong, they have purpose, they have meaning, they are unique and they are loved.

Visit Laurie Marshall‘s website

Visit the Singing Tree Project website.

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Life-Changing Event Led to Creating Meaningful Art

By Joel Thomas Hall

In late 2015, I was in an eye opening accident that ultimately changed my approach to creating art. As a result, I have been dedicating many paintings to hospitals and burn centers to display. These specially created artwork incorporates engraved plates with encouraging messages to hopefully encourage others that are suffering injuries.

After using art to help me heal from a severe life changing accident, I have changed most everything on how I approach and create art. I once created art for self-gratification typically creating paintings from photos, but I now create art out of inspiration painting the images I see in my mind. My art is now brighter and has sharp contrasts using only high-quality materials with enhanced depth and range in subject matter. I prefer using oils, acrylics and oil pastels often incorporating wood and clay modeling on canvas and wood panels for 3-D artworks.

To fully understand my artistic approach, I’ll take you back to 2016 when a large gas canister exploded in my hand spraying fuel on my legs causing deep burns from my knees down including my feet. During my lengthy stay in the hospital, my youngest daughter would color fish shapes cut out of paper and tape them to the wall. She told me that she had heard aquariums are relaxing and was making me one on the wall of my hospital room. Without even realizing it, my artwork began to take on more meaning. This one simple and kind act on her part started a series of changes to my artistic approach.

Magnetic Art Boards for Hospitalized Children

Using her hospital room aquarium idea, I designed and produced a magnetic art board with a copy of an underwater painting on framed sheet metal with flat fish shaped magnets. This art packet specifically made for hospitalized children includes the framed metal board with underwater scene and flat fish shaped magnets with crayons/markers all inside a small backpack. This introduced art as a healing aspect to children, but I also wanted to reach adults that are suffering. As a result, I have created location specific landscape paintings with engraved plates displaying encouraging messages on each framed artwork.

The agreement between myself and hospitals is that the paintings are to be displayed where their patients regularly pass-through or wait. With my artwork playing such an integral part of my healing process, I cannot help but dream that other survivors could find the same peace I have found through art. For example, the engraved plate on an Aspen Tree painting says, “All aspen trees have scars, but yet they are still beautiful. Go and be beautiful.”

My artistic approach goes far beyond just the art studio. In fact, the world can find peace through art because sometimes beauty can be found in the darkest corners of minds, if we look for it. To share the healing power of art globally, I identified the people who regularly interact with those suffering the most. These people are medical professionals worldwide. Through personal experience, I know that those suffering are needing something beyond just medicine to help them heal.

Spreading the Message About The Healing Power of Art

I had to get the message out in the world and was given a platform so that I could speak and write to medical professionals globally addressing the healing power of art. This began with an article I wrote on the healing power of art in a medical journal called “The Annals of Plastic Surgery” in early 2020. During the editing process of my article, I was asked to speak at their annual symposium in early March 2020 and that broadened the platform to reach beyond the doctors and nurses to communities of interested professionals. Few artists receive an opportunity like this, so I made the most of it to help thousands of surgeons, nurses, hospital administrators and business professionals understand that they need to spread the word to those suffering that there is healing in the arts with the deepest healing coming from helping others.

I have personally seen that deep healing occurs within myself, and can also occur within yourself, by performing the simple act of healing yourself by helping others heal. As I use my art to help others, I can dive deeper into my art to create unique and different artworks that I hope can make an impact in the world.

I strive to create art that “gives back”.  For example, I sometimes make paintings with high levels of texture so that visually impaired individuals can feel the artwork and tell what it is.  In these cases, I make Braille on those paintings stating what the painting is.

Once others globally understand the emotional aspects tied through art as a healing agent and using it to help others, we could all thrive beyond just surviving. Art is much bigger than anything I can create. Art is in the mind, the heart and the soul of all of us and can bring healing beyond what medical science can perform especially to those suffering most.

Visit JT Hall’s website joelthomashall.com

Read more inspirational articles like this one in our “Artists As World Changers” series.

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