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At top, Dr. Don Goodin and Dr. Jessica Moss of the St. Joseph East cancer center stand in front of Spring Cleaning, a work by artist Darrell Ishmael.
Several hospitals in the Bluegrass are embracing the healing power of art and are integrating beautiful, soothing artwork created by local gifted and talented artists into their interiors.
Recently at St. Joseph Hospital East, newly installed art is bringing health and healing to a lot of patients. Dr. Don Goodin, an oncologist at the hospital, encouraged it to try this healing-arts approach in a big way and found great support for the idea.
“St. Joseph’s has always placed a high priority on art throughout the hospital,” said Diane Boyer, director of major gifts for the St. Joseph Foundation. “Dr. Goodin came with a lot of fresh ideas on how we could add art to our health care mission.”
Boyer described the process of selecting and purchasing the art, which is funded through private donations, as intense.
“We wanted everything to be just right with color, subject matter and placement,” Boyer said.
They put out a call for artists through LexArts. Boyer credited Nathan Zamarron, LexArts community arts manager, for bringing “governance and guidance” to the process and aiding in what could have been an overwhelming task.
“We asked the artists to submit things that would be calming and contemplative,” Boyer added.
She went on to explain that the doctors had a great deal of input in the selection process. Dr. Goodin and Dr. Jessica Moss, also an oncologist, were part of the committee that selected the art.
“They knew from research, for instance, that the color purple is effective as a nausea preventative — an important thing in cancer treatment. We all learned so much,” Boyer said.
“Artwork in the cancer center is fundamentally important in the treatment of a patient’s mind, body and spirit. Everyone in the cancer center is so proud and energized by this project,” said Goodin. “More importantly, we are grateful, and certainly our patients and their families are as well.”
In addition to being some comfort for waiting families, the healing power of art is widely researched and touted as a significant tool in the health and healing of patients. Well-placed art throughout a medical facility can promote healing and reduce anxiety for both patients and loved ones significantly and additionally makes local artists proud partners in such an honorable endeavor.
Dan Neil Barnes, a Lexington stained-glass artist, has artwork in other St. Joseph facilities as well as St. Joseph East. He knows firsthand what it means to patients and families to be surrounded by art at a hospital.
“I do a lot of art shows, and I bet I have had 50 people recognize my work from the hospital and stop to tell me how much my piece helped them through a tough time,” he explained.
Barnes lost his mother to ovarian cancer three years ago.
“If my work can bring some relief or comfort to patients or their families and also to the amazing medical caregivers who are in a tough field, then I feel real good about that,” he said.