Hospitals are not typically known for their bright paint colours, but a group of local artists is trying to add some vibrancy into the Oilfields General Hospital in Black Diamond.
With a goal of injecting colour and visual interest into an otherwise bleak hospital environment, an art class from Oilfields High School has joined forces with a group of painters from Priddis to transform some of the hospital’s ceiling tiles into artistic masterpieces.
The response from patients has been wonderful, said Lenora Thorkelson, care manager of active and emergency at Oilfields General Hospital.
“It’s just something that can help to cognitively stimulate the mind,” she said. “And it’s so much better than looking at the stark white palette you see outside.”
Thorkelson came up with the idea last fall while caring for a patient who had ALS, known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“She could move her eyes, but not her body,” explained Thorkelson. “So she spent a great deal of time either looking at the blinds or the ceiling.”
To try to decrease her patient’s boredom, Thorkelson took an art print out of a frame from her office and taped it to the ceiling.
“I also brought in some music and tried to think of ways to cognitively stimulate her, because we knew she could think, she just couldn’t articulate or move her body,” she said.
Research has shown patients who receive mental stimulation have better outcomes than those without and they have shorter hospital stays, said Thorkelson.
In fact, a study published by the British Geriatrics Society shows daily cognitive stimulation can improve the mental status of hospital patients, especially in elderly people showing signs of dementia.
At the same time, Thorkelson took notice of the brightly painted ceiling tiles at Oilfields High School, where her son is a student.
During a parent-teacher interview, Thorkelson told Oilfields High School’s art teacher Christi Tims about her idea and asked if she would be interested in taking part.
“I said, ‘of course,’” said Tims, adding her Grade 8 and 9 students were excited to take part in the project. “We’re always looking for ways to get the students’ artwork out in the community.”
Meanwhile, Thorkelson had also mentioned her idea to Grace Ledoux, a volunteer coordinator at Oilfields General Hospital. Ledoux recommended Priddis artist Barb Fedun get involved in the project and Fedun brought along the entire Priddis Painters group.
“When we heard Lenora’s story about her ALS patient, it just touched everyone’s heart,” said Fedun. “There’s so many artists out there who create wonderful things, but it doesn’t always go out into the world. You don’t sell every piece you create, so why not share the beauty you create in another way?”
Several tiles have already been installed in some of the hospital rooms, receiving rave reviews from both patients and hospital staff members.
“It has sparked such an interest, even the x-ray department wants some now for their rooms above their tables,” Thorkelson said.
In total, 27 students from Oilfields High School contributed one tile each and 16 artists from the Priddis Painter’s Group took part.
Both have expressed interest to continue taking part in the project in the future.
Thorkelson said the hospital already has enough tiles to switch them around in different rooms from time to time to give patients with prolonged stays some variety.
Not only do the vibrant paintings stimulate their minds, but they can also improve patients’ state of mind.
“Colour definitely has an influence on moods,” agreed Tims.
Using vivid bursts of colour was the inspiration behind two Oilfields students’ contributions to the Ceiling Tile Project.
Brandon Goheen, a Grade 8 student, painted a series of Japanese cherry trees on his ceiling tile using shades of purple and soft pink.
He said he hopes patients who look at his ceiling tile experience a moment of tranquility.
“I was trying to create something peaceful,” he said.
Grade 9 student Rachel Samonig painted a Union Jack using primary blue, red and white paint, and designed ambigrams throughout the tile. An ambigram is a typographical design that can be read from different viewpoints as one or more words.
“I just thought it would be interesting to look at, and it’s colourful,” she explained. “We didn’t really have any limitations, so we were able to show ourselves in the work and put out ideas that we thought would make patients happier.”
Samonig’s ceiling tile is currently above the bed of Evelyn Clara, a patient at Oilfields General Hospital.
Clara said she enjoys having something visually inspiring to take in during her stay.
“It’s pretty and it’s something different,” Clara said. “The red, white and blue is striking.”
