Art Reception Planned at NARH
NORTH ADAMS - New works by local artists are on display at North Adams Regional Hospital as part of the hospital's Community Art Project.The public is invited to an artists' reception on Thursday, March 20, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the surgical services waiting area on the first floor, just off the main lobby.
The Community Art Project was launched in summer 1999 and has been a success, according to hospital officials. The project brings works of art into the public corridors and waiting areas of the hospital in an effort to bring warmth and pleasure to the environment for patients and their families and friends, as well as for the staff. It is the hospital's desire to complement the healing process with artwork.
"The response by artists for this exhibit, the second one I have curated at the hospital, has been amazing," said Debi Pendell of North Adams, the project's curator. "The last exhibit included 13 artists showing 196 works, and this time there are 26 artists showing 241 works.
"We have also extended the hanging area to include pediatrics on the third floor. While hanging the show I was stopped at least 10 times a day by staff, patients and visitors who wanted to thank us for bringing art into the hospital – also, to compliment the artists on the work. This program is definitely bringing many members of our community together – people who might otherwise never know of each other. And the art is enriching the healing environment for everyone."
"We are delighted to see a growing interest in the Community Art Project at NARH, both by artists and the public," said Richard Palmisano, president and CEO of Northern Berkshire Healthcare. "We work very hard to make NARH a healing place, and the addition of such varied artwork makes our job easier. We're very appreciative of the effort that our local art community makes to be involved in caring for the community, and we're happy to continue providing a venue to display their work."
Artists in the exhibit, which will be on view until Aug. 15, 2008, include David Blanchette, Peggy Braun, Ernest Brown, Sandra Butler, Judy Cantwell, Liz Cunningham, Jacob Dabrowski, Brigitte Freed and Elke Susannah Freed (represented by Brill Gallery of North Adams), Brigita Fuhrmann, Joanna Gabler, Charles Giuliano, Bill Guild, Gillian Jones, Karen Kane, Henry Klein, Anna Kronick, Kelly Lee, Larry Lorusso, Jennifer K. Mulcahy, Pendell, Lauretta Saldo, Jennifer Smith, Karin Stack, Colleen Williams and Linda Wingerter.
Several of the artists have personal reasons for being enthusiastic about including their artwork in the exhibit. For example, Wingerter, an artist and illustrator, recently broke her painting hand, needed two surgeries, and for a year was unable to work.
After spending much time in the hospital, she is acutely aware of how valuable it can be to have artwork to be distracted by, engaged with, and enjoy while in the hospital environment. Gabler, who teaches art as a healing practice, has included work in both the last show and the current show because her personal experience with art’s healing capacity is strong and certain.
Braun recently broke her ankle, requiring surgery and a long recovery period. She was not at NARH for her care.
"I wish there had been such a program at the hospital where I received treatment. I would have loved to be able to distract myself from my discomfort by losing myself in some delicious art work," she said.
Saldo's two children were born at NARH and she expressed the wish that artwork had been available to lose herself in while she was walking the halls during her labor.
