Healing Art Program
Art is powerful medicine for the world
The TMC Healing Art Program, while less than three years old, has resulted in upwards of 350 unique works of art donated to the hospital. Additionally, a group of amazing photographers have given us the use of their images, 200 of which have been installed in patient areas. The walls of our hospital have been transformed, and more art and photography is installed every month.
There is always so much to learn about the arts and healing. Thanks to TMC’s membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network, some of the members of the TMC Healing Art committee attended the Humanities and Medicine Symposium in Phoenix this November. With this exchange of ideas, the committee hopes to bring programs and methods that can enrich patients’ lives here in Tucson.
You can always find more information about the program and see many of the artworks in the hospital by visiting our website, tmcaz. com/healing-artprogram
Agrigento, Sicily by Dominic Bonuccelli
Nandi and Semba by Leslie Leathers
Bay Bridge by John Perry
Carcassonne, France by Dominic Bonuccelli
Coyote Condo by Leslie Leathers
Southeast side of hospital gets some spectacular art
What happens when the TMC Healing Art Program gets access to the newly renovated blank walls of Shropshire Hall complete with bright new lighting? The hallway becomes a showcase for TMC photographers. These photographers generously donate the use of their images although most of the photographs are only seen inside patient units.
Shropshire Hall highlights the spectacular work of these photographers, many of whom travel the world to bring us breathtaking images. This is the corner of the hospital to take your mind far away from care and worry. Please visit and let us know what you think. We owe a big thank you to Centric Photo, which represents most of these photographers and has become a huge promoter of the TMC Healing Art Program.
While at the Southeast Entrance, take a detour towards Labor & Delivery to see a series of artworks depicting horses by Paul Hopman. Hopman makes scratchboard images from professional
photographs of horses and then prints these as giclées on canvas. If you are a horse lover, you won’t want to miss them. It turns out that many hospital staff members have horses, once had horses or just love horses. These works are a definite staff favorite and might be yours too.
Stay tuned to see the art installed when the new Southeast Entrance officially opens in January.
Dnor update
Some recent donors of art include: Teresa Acevedo; Kim and Don Bourn; Peggy Houghton; Pam McConnaughey; Sumner and Edie Michelson Milender; Carolyn Parsons; Margaret Wallace, George Arvan and Nicolette Robinson; Neelam and Gulshan Sethi; and Pamella K. Greeb and Kristopher J. Wanamaker.
Local artists who also donated their work include: David Adix, Barbara Brandel, Brian Donohue, Ron Goodsite, Katie Harrell, Paul Hopman, Susan Imwalle, Jean Nerenberg and Barbara Smith. As always, their gifts are extremely generous because of the limits placed on artists’ donations by tax law.
New photographers who are working with TMC include: Kathy Shogren, Marla Endicott, David Scott Allen and Leonard Thurman. And we discovered three great photographers working as nurses in Labor & Delivery: Carole Miller, Marjon Thomas-Bejarano, and Leah Offerdahl (along with her husband, Matt Offerdahl – an anesthesiologist at TMC).
Works by Sonja Van Buuren
Two collages by David Adix
The Family by Paul Hopman
Works by Jonathan Meader in Labor & Delivery waiting room
Purchase art to benefit the TMC Healing Art Program!
From time to time, works of art will be for sale to benefit the TMC Healing Art Program. To see the current list, go to the TMC Foundation website: tmcaz.com/healing-art-program. Click on the link to see a catalog of the collection. Use the drop down menu titled “Collections” to reach the link “FOR SALE to Benefit the TMC Healing Art Program.” Happy hunting and check back often for additional works!
Western artist Howard
Terpning gets a surprise
A gathering of family, friends and staff was on hand Oct. 22 to unveil a new courtyard renovation in honor of Howard Terpning. The artist’s wife, Marlies, donated the funds to dedicate this courtyard to Howard. Both Marlies and Howard have been long time supporters of TMC. The highlight of this outdoor space is a magnificent bronze eagle by the artist Sandy Scott. You can find the Terpning Courtyard at the intersection of Marshall and Ferguson halls, behind the Gift Shop.
We invite your financial donations to support our art and music programs!
Music program receives $25,000
We are proud to announce that TMC’s Healing Art Program is now able to sponsor more than 500 hours of live music a year in patient care areas, due to a generous gift from Gary and Jill Sisson. Next year, the Sissons’ gift will come in the form of a match. If you believe in the power of music, please think about contributing to the match. Your donation will help TMC double the hours that our patients can benefit from the lovely sounds of a harp, classical guitar or the latest addition to the medical musicians team, a violin from Ivan Ugorich.
We look forward to the potential for special concerts in patient care areas thanks to our new relationship with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. The TSO is searching for grants to enable small ensembles to play at the hospital. If they succeed, we will let you know which funding partners made this possible.
Works by Moira Geoffrion
5301 E. Grant Road
Tucson, AZ 85712
Patient and Staff Reactions
Gina Sentelik, an occupational therapist, wrote to us: “It was such a pleasant surprise to find the artwork in the rehab gym. I have noticed the artwork has changed in the hospital as well … thanks for brightening my days here at TMC.”
Damiana Cohen, manager of the Mother-Baby and Women’s Care units, told us this story:
“Thank you TMC Foundation for the Healing Art Program, and for the beautiful music of David Pavlovich. David was playing out in the hall on the Women’s Care Unit, and a patient’s husband came out to take a photo, because his wife could hear the harp music, but had never seen one being played. David, in his humble and magnanimous way, promptly moved his harp into this patient’s room and played for her. This patient had had several hours of uncontrollable pain after surgery, and despite doing everything we could do to help her, nothing was working. David played his beautiful and soothing music, and this patient was able to finally fall asleep.”
Here’s a perspective from one of our musicians, harpist Adrienne Lewy:
“I move between four places in the ICU and play for 15 minutes in each place. One day a nurse told me that there was a patient in the room next to where I always played, and every time I played in that spot, the patient loved it. I had no idea, as where I sit, I can’t see into the room, nor do I look. The patient was there for several weeks. The patient passed away but asked her friend to make sure they got in touch with me, and requested that I play at her funeral. It’s very humbling when you hear how the music touches people you never see.”
One of our artists, Jim Waid, got this note from an acquaintance:
“Walking out of TMC tonight, after visiting my very ill mom, Rochelle Rubin, I saw your lovely pastel. T’was heartwarming. Thank you so much …”
Written by Lauren Rabb, curator, TMC Healing Art Program
For information or to make a donation, please check the TMC Foundation website: tmcaz.com/healing-art-program