Written by Lauren Rabb | Curator | TMC Healing Art Program
Art PROGRAM Healing
As I write this, the first vaccines are being given to our front-line TMC staff. By the time this is published, perhaps the surge of COVID cases in our community will have calmed, and we’ll be looking forward to general vaccination and relative normalcy. It has felt like the Healing Art Program has been on hiatus, but there is a backlog of wonderful art waiting to be hung, and our cadre of musicians can’t wait to return to the hospital.
MUSIC
Although live music has been impossible during most of the pandemic, TMC created a new TV channel with special-made videos from our regular musicians. Dr. Hugh Thompson donated the equipment for this channel, and our musicians generated more than five hours of “live” music that streams on a loop. Although nothing can replace the impact of hearing someone playing classical guitar or harp outside a patient room, we all hope this has brought a bit of serenity to patients and staff.
Dr. Thompson also donated 12 Sirius XM radios to TMC Hospice’s inpatient facility, Peppi’s House. This lets families have commercial-free music playing for their loved ones in their rooms, and accommodates any taste - from classical and jazz to Beatles and hip-hop. Our appreciation for this very special donation cannot be overstated.
For those of you who have been in the Marshall Conference Center anytime in the past many years, I am happy to report that we replaced the old broken down upright piano. Michael and Debra Manning donated a Yamaha piano, very similar to the one we all love in the West Lobby. Michael, an acclaimed pianist himself, went on a quest to hunt down a suitable piano they could gift us. We can’t wait for both pianos to be played on a regular basis again!
Donati ns continue despite the pandemic
As you probably know, community support for TMC has been outstanding, and many people and organizations have stepped up to brighten the lives of patients and staff. One effort that the Healing Art Program was honored to assist was made by an eighth grader, Ella Healy, and her art teacher Barbara Faltico from St. Michael’s Parish Day School. Early in the pandemic, they gathered colorful paintings of saguaros made by students, copied and laminated them, and gave them to the nursing staff to share with COVID patients. This simple gesture told the patients that the outside community knew and cared about them.
Some awesome donations of art have come in, and we can’t wait to share them with TMC in the not-too-distant future. Paul Gold and Greer Warren have continued to be the Healing Art Program’s secret patrons, with Gold finding amazing works of art for TMC. In the past months they have donated another large William Lesch photograph, an Audrey Flack vanitas print and two cityscapes: a Larry Dinkin serigraph and a Wayne Ensrud lithograph. Additionally, Maurice and Shirley Sevigny donated a large Barbara Rogers painting from the 1990s.
Garland donated two of her lovely oil ink monotypes. Our very own talented Angela Pittenger, TMC communications specialist, donated three of her colorful oil landscapes.
Peppi’s House was the recipient of two special paintings. The Kohloss family donated a watercolor of Sabino Canyon by nephew Jon-Eric Schafer in honor of Fred and Peggy Kohloss, and Jim Waid donated a garden pastel in honor of his wife, Beverly.
Two new photographers have joined our ranks - Vicky Stromee and Jerry Peek. Look for Stromee’s work in the new Clinical Research office, and for Peek’s work to be somewhere, soon!
As always, I want to thank some recent financial donors to the program: Gary and Jill Sisson, Ron and Jacquelyn Feller, Molly Murphy and Roseann Milano. Thank you so much for keeping the Healing Art Program in mind when so many organizations need help.
Sylvia
Redwall Cavern, William Lesch
Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge, Wayne Ensrud
Blue Lagoon, Sylvia Garland
Cloudcroft, Jim Waid
Landscape of Structure from a Dream, Larry Dinkin
Field of Happiness, Angela Pittenger
Sabino Canyon Pool, Jon-Eric Schafer
Dawn Moon, Vicky Stromee Snow Moon, Vicky Stromee
All images copyrighted
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A FINAL NOTE
Over the summer, I was featured on a national podcast about art and healing, with Dr. Esther Sternberg from the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine. You can catch the podcast at soundpracticepodcast.com; scroll down to The Healing Power of Art, Music and Surrounding Spaces. However, no one can express the value of the Healing Art Program better than our hospital staff, so I want to share this story brought to me by Beth Hunter, one of our TMC pianists:
I have been in TMC several times recently for an emergency surgery on a broken ankle and all the additional orthopedic appointments.
When asked to play the piano at TMC, my first reaction was “why?” I have played at many venues over the years, but a hospital? Do they really need music there? After the first time I played, I received so many positive comments and behaviors (because people actually danced) I was hooked. I was there playing every Tuesday morning from 9 to 11.
Fast forward to coming in as a patient. At least a dozen TMC employees look at me with a puzzled expression before they say “Oh my, you are one of our pianists! We miss you all coming in and playing!”
So I guess I have subsequently learned in a wonderful way that the music is truly important to TMC. Once we all get through this together, we musicians will get back to work sharing music in the halls of TMC. Because it is needed.”
Take care and stay safe, and I hope to see you soon.
— Lauren Rabb, Curator, TMC Healing Art Program
