Healing Through Art: Bringing Art to Patient Care

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.
With this in mind, Decatur County Memorial Hospital has recently added new artwork throughout the hospital and provider offices. DCMH and a committee teamed up with Inez Baird, Art Consultant for A.R.T
(Art Resource Team) from Cincinnati, Ohio to help with the new program.
Inez commented, “What was initially a call for A.R.T. to re-frame a few existing photographs, turned into the creation of an “art program” for DCMH featuring imagery chosen for the promotion of healing & well-being, unique commissioned art including the mobile & glass collection, and custom framing consistent with the level of re-design throughout the hospital. The art selection committee was committed to finding the best work for this project, so it turned out beautifully!”
Everything from glass sculptures, paintings and photographs from all over Indiana, DCMH is proud and honored to share all of the new artwork with the community. DCMH feels that the new artwork will have a warm and friendly feel to all patients and visitors.
Marketing Manager, Amy Shearer, adds, “We are thrilled to be able to share art with our patients and community. Patients are often worried or anxious when in the hospital and being able to relax by shifting their focus toward something more calming can be beneficial in their recovery.”
Below is a list of each piece of art, along with description and the artist whom created it.
Kinetic Mobile (above Stairwell)
The “Petals” Mobile is a cluster of curvilinear organic forms that create a textural canopy akin to leaves and clouds. Individual, balanced suspension points provide gentle movement for a kinetic rippling effect.
Artist Carl Royce began his career in New York City working with award-winning tensile structure designers on structural projects for interiors, galleries, special events and large-scale architectural structures. After a move to California, he developed his signature sculptural forms; incorporating them into kinetic mobiles, sculptural panels and lighting. His work has been featured at the Pasadena Museum of California Art and the Goldstein Museum of Design. His work is also included in Braun Publishing’s books Light in Architecture and Fine Fabric.
Art Glass on 1st Floor Corridor (near mobile)
Hand-blown glass plates suspended on stainless steel hardware appear to float off the wall. The method of the art glass is simple: fire and silica combined as a liquid that is formed by tools-a concept that is almost 2000 years old. Free-flowing techniques to make glass have evolved from the creation of purely functional items centuries ago into an artist’s tool used to create the beautiful hand-blown glass plates in this installation.
A group of glass artisans in San Leandro, California designed the collection of plates.
Fine Art Photography (throughout the hospital)
Charles Moman, father of a DCMH employee, has traveled several counties in and surrounding Decatur County including Bartholomew, Jennings, and Jackson County documenting rural structures, nature images, and scenic. After 37 years of teaching in Seymour Community Schools, he is now a full time composer, author, presenter, and photographer. Moman has received 3 Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Fellowships, one of which was an award for a project entitled, “An Indiana Portrait,” his view of rural Indiana through photography and music.
Dimensional Wall Sculpture Featuring Botanical Photographs on Acrylic, Bamboo, & Canvas Substrates (third floor elevator lobby)
“Zen Landscape,” by artist Florence Delva, reflects the artist’s predilection for abstraction with an organic touch using water and botanical elements to create “micro landscapes.” Born in France, Delva currently
lives and works in Los Angeles, California.
4 Fine Art Prints
Megan Heekin Triantafillou’s paintings are abstract non-objective representations of aspects relating
to nature and spirituality. She lives and works in Cincinnati, Ohio.
X-ray Photography (Radiology waiting room)
An artist and radiation technologist, Steven N. Meyers experiments with x-ray images of plants and flowers. Positive, negative, and solarized images are used to create his floral radiography in his Washington state studio.
Photographer Charles Moman was honored to have his pictures displayed throughout the hospital. “People love seeing things that are local to them. Even though the picture might not have been taken in their county, they like to see things that remind them of their area or hometown. They feel a connection with it.”
Charles believes that the key to photography is a way of looking at things. “Two people can look at the same thing and yet, take two completely different photos.”
A portion of the artwork was funded through donations made to the Hospital Foundation of Decatur County. Foundation Director Bryan Robbins shared some of the input donors had on the project: “It’s always great to have supporters that understand that the patient experience is improved by a cheerful, colorful environment. It’s the understanding that a simple photograph or installation can take a patient or loved one’s mind off of a troubling circumstance, even for a minute, and that can be a calming experience and overall benefit.” In addition to some of the pieces themselves, donors also contributed toward infrastructure to allow for the display of local art: “Dr. Bob and Judy Cupp were great collaborators in funding a mechanism for easily hanging frames, allowing for some rotating exhibits. Our marketing department has been great in teaming with the local schools, and we hope to partner with the Arts and Cultural Council and Gallery to showcase talented
artists in our community.”