Written by Lauren Rabb | Curator | TMC Healing Art Program
Art PROGRAM Healing
And we’re off!
ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY
I’m thrilled to announce that we are officially kicking off our fundraising campaign for the Healing Art Program’s permanent endowment. We plan to raise $3.5 million, which will support 10 musicians, the art program and an endowed curator position.
During the next months, you will receive email or letter solicitations, which will include a match sponsored by the Healing Art Program Strategic Planning Committee.
Please give generously! I am also asking that you reach out if you can make a larger one-time commitment or one over time, or want to include the Healing Art Program in your estate planning or required minimum distribution.
We are starting this drive with almost $400,000 committed, but we want to move quickly. Our goal is to have this campaign completed by the end of 2024. We can do this with your help!
Read on to see how much this program accomplishes and why it is so important to patients, visitors and staff.
PHILANTHROPIC DONORS
The Healing Art Program is funded by donors like you! The entire Strategic Planning Committee of the Healing Art Program is currently committing to a large donation to offer as a match to other donors, and we hope you will join us. If you love the program and want to help secure its future, please let us know!
You can reach me (Lauren Rabb, Curator) or Jeffrey Lamie, Vice President and Chief Development Officer, at the TMC Foundation: (520) 324-3116.
Since our summer newsletter, we have been busy! Besides new art in the TMC hallways, these are the units and clinics that have had art installed or are in progress: Nuclear Medicine, Mammography, Mariposa Conference Room, NICU family rooms, Observation Unit, Cardiac Catheterization Lab lobby, Peppi’s House, TMCOne Beverly Clinic, TMCOne Rincon, TMCOne Wilmot, TMCOne Knight, TMCOne Rita Road, TMCOne Clara Vista Pediatrics. Coming soon are Ellen Fountain florals in the Atrium Executive Suite and more photography for Ultrasound and the new Emergency Department Sub-Acute Unit. All this because of the generosity of donors!
Barbara Rogers, Forgotten Senses #3, 2022, oil on paper mounted on dibond, 28x40 inches
ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY
CONTINUED
Artworks recently donated include two Barbara Rogers works for the Cardiac Catheterization Lab lobby plus a lithograph of a fun work for Erickson Hall, and a set of beautiful hand-drawn botanicals by Eva Murzaite. We have also received another delightful work by Dr. Gulshan Sethi for the ICU; and three works donated by donor angels Paul Gold and his wife Greer Warren: a Dong Kingman lithograph of Central Park, a magical-realism image by Igor Galanin and a spectacular photograph by Steven Meckler.
And speaking of photography, these are the new artists who are donating their images to the TMC Healing Art Program: Ben Golden (in memoriam), Kent Safford and two of our very own employees: Beth Utley and Sarah Yeager.
MUSIC
This year we said good-bye to one of our musicians, Elena Miraztchiyska, who moved to Florida. Two others are busy with young children and life (Ivan Ugorich and Grace Sheppard) and have temporarily bowed out. In the meantime, we have added a few musicians whom we’ve showcased previously –Maximiliano Larrea, Dante Olita and Katie Baird.
Soon to come on board is Misael Barraza Diaz. Misael will be familiar to some of you, as he is a UA alumnus and considered one of the finest Mexican guitarists of his generation. He also happens to be married to another of our musicians, Diana Schaible. We are very excited to welcome him to the program.
By the way, for those of you who are fans of our harpist Carla Fabris, please know that although her time at TMC has been more limited lately, it is for a good reason – she has been playing with the Tucson Symphony and also teaching a class at the UA. She is still very much on board with us and will continue to play at TMC whenever she can!
Steven Meckler, Jazz Cowboy Donated by Paul Gold and Greer Warren
Rhonda Royse, Monumental Sunrise © 2022
Misael Barraza Diaz
Igor Galanin, Rabbit in Hat © 1985. Donated by Paul Gold and Greer Warren
Leslie Leathers, Semba and Nandi © 2014
Hal Tretbar, Teton Sunrise © 2011
Ellen Fountain artworks in Drachman Hall
Cita Scott, Tuffy at the Gate
Cita Scott, Tea for Two
Cita Scott, Pig in Heaven
Cita Scott, Blue Cafe II
F OUND A TION
5301 E. Grant Road
Tucson, AZ 85712-2805
Here are recent anecdotes from two of our TMC musicians.
FROM KATIE BAIRD | VIOLIST
I set up in the Women’s Care Unit, eagerly received by the staff as the WiFi was down, the computer systems were down, etc., so it was a very hectic day. They very much appreciated the calming music! One nurse came up to me and told me that her patient thought the music was very beautiful and soothing, and she wanted to tell me thank you, but she doesn’t speak English. Turns out, we both speak Spanish, so I asked if she would like me to play in her room and talk with her for a bit, which she happily did. We had a 10-15 minute conversation in Spanish and I played an upbeat piece as well as a calm, reflective piece for her. She absolutely loved it. It was so special to be able to connect with a patient one-on-one, especially in her native language, and brighten her night!
FROM MAXIMILIANO LARREA | CLASSICAL GUITARIST
I wanted to share these three comments with you from patients and staff:
“Waiting time goes by much faster when you play.”
“You don’t know how many beautiful colors your music has.” (A person with synesthesia told me this with tears in her eyes)
“Can you come every day? Everything is more calm when you are here.”