Art For Healing Donated to MSJMC

Details

Health News

Wednesday, 01 August 2012 02:30

By press release

Antigua St. John’s – Patients and visitors to Mount St. John’s Medical Center (MSJMC) will be able to admire more artwork thanks to the donation of a 10-piece collection by award-winning artists Eric Olson and Elaine Poggi.

Mr. Olson is an international artist who is known for dynamic and colourful photographs that express the beauty in the world around us. Ms. Poggi is not only a photographer but is founder and director of the Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals, based in Florence, Italy.
 
“The idea for the collection began during a visit to Antigua with my wife, Nancy, where we met Paula Miller (Director of Quality at MSJMC),” Olson said. “Over dinner one evening, I was talking to Paula about some scientific studies showing how correctly chosen images can have a positive effect on the healing process and can actually improve patient outcomes.

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“Nancy, a passionate advocate of Art for Healing, suggested the idea of creating a collection of healing images for the hospital, and the idea was born. We later invited the Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals to become involved, and Founder/ Director Elaine Poggi quickly agreed. My work is based on the idea that art can help by presenting moments of great beauty that allow the viewer’s mind to rest, relax, and refresh.”
 
The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals is a non-profit publicly supported organisation dedicated to placing colourful, soothing photographs of nature in hospitals to give comfort and hope to patients and their families, visitors, and caregivers. The vision of the Foundation is to create a shift in the way people view hospitals from cold and sterile, to warm and welcoming. The mission is to change hospitals by humanising their environments, a concept that is slowly gaining influence in many countries.
 
"It's been a pleasure working with my dear friends, Eric and Nancy Olson on this project,” Poggi said. “We hope that our photos will bring smiles and joy to the patients, family members, and caregivers in Mount St. John's Medical Center."
 
The collection consists of 10 framed photographs, five from each artist. Ms. Poggi’s images are beautiful underwater photographs, and Olson’s pictures are scenes he photographed on Antigua. An online slideshow of the images can be seen at here.
 
To raise funds for the project, Mr. Olson and his wife created a special 100 per cent silk scarf and are offering it as a limited edition “Signature Scarf”. The scarf is based on a panoramic image of unique Antiguan ocean scenery. Proceeds from the sale of the scarf helped fund the printing, framing and shipping of the “Art for Healing” collection. Those interested in the scarf can learn more here.
 
Director of Quality at MSJMC Paula Miller said: “I think the mission and design of the hospital inspired philanthropy, not just funding but art and lots of it. Now coming to the hospital will seem like going to see a private art collection, which is a good feeling I hope, especially when patients are coming here for a less-than-pleasant procedure or discussion or are simply in pain.
 
“This does not in any way mean that a beautiful environment should ever trump quality care, but when patients have a choice, assuming both places are the same medically, why wouldn’t they want to come to a hospital where there’s beautiful art they could stare at on the walls that would give them some kind of comfort?”
 


If you’re an artist/photographer or a part of an art group and would be interested in donating or displaying your work at MSJMC please contact Salma Crump by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling (268) 484-2711.

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