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Hoping That Art Helps With Healing
Gretchen Ertl for The New York Times
Published: March 14, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/arts/artsspecial/using-art-to-help-young-patients-in-hospitals.html?_r=2
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL BOSTON, inside this city’s warren of top-notch hospitals, is a temple of
pediatrics,
drawing patients and families for some of the country’s best medical care. But it is probably not where they come expecting to find technical art instruction.
On a recent afternoon, however, Jason Springer, an educator from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, was here to provide just that, leading a group of patients
and their visitors in the making of Chinese lanterns.
“So, this is your brush, this is your inkwell, this is your ink stick,” said Mr. Springer, indicating sticks of sumo ink scattered across three tables in
the hospital’s patient recreation center. “The more you rub it, the darker the ink is going to be.”
Behind Mr. Springer, a projector showed images of Chinese and Japanese brush paintings from the museum’s extensive collection of Asian art. “Take some inspiration
from the mountains and the trees,” he said.
Mr. Springer has made regular visits to this hospital since 2007 — he recently increased his frequency to twice a month from once — with the museum’s Artful
Healing program, which brings art workshops to young patients, along with works from the museum’s collections. The program expanded to Massachusetts General
Hospital and last month made its inaugural visit to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
At the lantern workshop, Riley Román, 8, sat with two young visitors; the project had elevated their hospital trip to a fully fledged playdate. “Art is
my favorite,” said Riley, quietly. “Then video games.”
Riley has a
brain tumor.
He joins the hospital’s arts and crafts offerings as much as he can, said his mother, Andrea. “It’s everything,” she said. “I think it really matters.”
As her son painted his initials onto the corner of his piece of construction paper, Ms. Román explained how Riley experienced weakness across the right
side of his body last fall. She said that his hand function has almost completely returned. “I feel like all of this helps him in a lot of aspects of healing,”
said Ms. Román.
Nearby, Lauren Mantz used an ink brush to paint a smiley face onto a panel of her lantern, appearing to forget all about the IV pole behind her, laden with
medication.
Lauren has been here for two months, fighting a rare autoimmune disease called opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome, as well as
pancreatitis
caused by the removal of a
tumor.
But for the moment, she was readying her lantern, absorbed with a level of concentration impressive for her four years.
“It helps keep her mind off of things,” said Lauren’s mother, Alicia Mantz. “She forgets about her pole for a bit, and her pain.”
For many young patients, it is this distraction — an opportunity to be considered by an adult not for their illness, but for their imagination and skill
— that is the most important aspect of the workshop.
“I think that to have the chance to interact with an adult that’s not a doctor, it brings out their ability to be a kid,” said Mr. Springer, the instructor.
“Art is a great medium to be at the center of that conversation.”
The Society for the Arts in Health Care, in its most recent State of the Field report, published in 2009, cited data showing that up to 45 percent of the
country’s health care institutions use art in their programs. These included displays of art, bedside workshops and performances.
Researchers have found that such programs decrease patient stress and improve quality of life; and there is a nascent body of evidence suggesting that,
because of such improvements, arts programs can actually save on health-care costs.
“All of it has to do with providing something, a positive distraction,” said Jessica Finch, the art program manager at Children’s Hospital, adding that
the program’s connection to the museum lends it depth beyond a typical craft activity. “Having it be part of a cultural experience is impressive,” she
said.
The collaboration between some of the city’s most venerable institutions has not been a simple one: museum and hospital officials acknowledge handling miles
of red tape. And there is the issue of finding art appropriate for young hospital patients. “To be frank, a lot of work in Western art history is a lot
of food and a lot of scary stuff,” said Rob Worstell, the head of studio and community art at the museum, who helped develop the Artful Healing program.
But the program has found its stride. When Dale Chihuly’s blockbuster exhibition of whimsical blown glass was featured at the museum this summer, one workshop
had patients use mixed-media sculpture to build Chihuly-esque gardens. Later this year, children will emboss bowls with foil, learning about Paul Revere’s
silversmithing — his famous Liberty Bowl is a cherished artifact in the museum’s collection — along the way.
Melissa Skan, an 18-year-old student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, recently welcomed the foray into art history while she was at Massachusetts
General Hospital being monitored for a low
heart rate.
When Mr. Springer brought clay and sculpture supplies to her room, she set about forming a snow leopard, receiving some technical coaching. It reminded
her of a high-school project she had done on Matisse, who had begun painting while he was recovering from
appendicitis.
“I was like, ‘Hmm, I better do some art while I’m here, just in case,’ ” joked Ms. Skan.
A version of this article appeared in print on March 15, 2012, on page F2 of the New York edition with the headline: Hoping That Art Helps With Healing.
Hoping That Art Helps With Healing
Gretchen Ertl for The New York Times
Published: March 14, 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/arts/artsspecial/using-art-to-help-young-patients-in-hospitals.html?_r=2
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL BOSTON, inside this city’s warren of top-notch hospitals, is a temple of
pediatrics,
drawing patients and families for some of the country’s best medical care. But it is probably not where they come expecting to find technical art instruction.
On a recent afternoon, however, Jason Springer, an educator from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, was here to provide just that, leading a group of patients
and their visitors in the making of Chinese lanterns.
“So, this is your brush, this is your inkwell, this is your ink stick,” said Mr. Springer, indicating sticks of sumo ink scattered across three tables in
the hospital’s patient recreation center. “The more you rub it, the darker the ink is going to be.”
Behind Mr. Springer, a projector showed images of Chinese and Japanese brush paintings from the museum’s extensive collection of Asian art. “Take some inspiration
from the mountains and the trees,” he said.
Mr. Springer has made regular visits to this hospital since 2007 — he recently increased his frequency to twice a month from once — with the museum’s Artful
Healing program, which brings art workshops to young patients, along with works from the museum’s collections. The program expanded to Massachusetts General
Hospital and last month made its inaugural visit to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
At the lantern workshop, Riley Román, 8, sat with two young visitors; the project had elevated their hospital trip to a fully fledged playdate. “Art is
my favorite,” said Riley, quietly. “Then video games.”
Riley has a
brain tumor.
He joins the hospital’s arts and crafts offerings as much as he can, said his mother, Andrea. “It’s everything,” she said. “I think it really matters.”
As her son painted his initials onto the corner of his piece of construction paper, Ms. Román explained how Riley experienced weakness across the right
side of his body last fall. She said that his hand function has almost completely returned. “I feel like all of this helps him in a lot of aspects of healing,”
said Ms. Román.
Nearby, Lauren Mantz used an ink brush to paint a smiley face onto a panel of her lantern, appearing to forget all about the IV pole behind her, laden with
medication.
Lauren has been here for two months, fighting a rare autoimmune disease called opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome, as well as
pancreatitis
caused by the removal of a
tumor.
But for the moment, she was readying her lantern, absorbed with a level of concentration impressive for her four years.
“It helps keep her mind off of things,” said Lauren’s mother, Alicia Mantz. “She forgets about her pole for a bit, and her pain.”
For many young patients, it is this distraction — an opportunity to be considered by an adult not for their illness, but for their imagination and skill
— that is the most important aspect of the workshop.
“I think that to have the chance to interact with an adult that’s not a doctor, it brings out their ability to be a kid,” said Mr. Springer, the instructor.
“Art is a great medium to be at the center of that conversation.”
The Society for the Arts in Health Care, in its most recent State of the Field report, published in 2009, cited data showing that up to 45 percent of the
country’s health care institutions use art in their programs. These included displays of art, bedside workshops and performances.
Researchers have found that such programs decrease patient stress and improve quality of life; and there is a nascent body of evidence suggesting that,
because of such improvements, arts programs can actually save on health-care costs.
“All of it has to do with providing something, a positive distraction,” said Jessica Finch, the art program manager at Children’s Hospital, adding that
the program’s connection to the museum lends it depth beyond a typical craft activity. “Having it be part of a cultural experience is impressive,” she
said.
The collaboration between some of the city’s most venerable institutions has not been a simple one: museum and hospital officials acknowledge handling miles
of red tape. And there is the issue of finding art appropriate for young hospital patients. “To be frank, a lot of work in Western art history is a lot
of food and a lot of scary stuff,” said Rob Worstell, the head of studio and community art at the museum, who helped develop the Artful Healing program.
But the program has found its stride. When Dale Chihuly’s blockbuster exhibition of whimsical blown glass was featured at the museum this summer, one workshop
had patients use mixed-media sculpture to build Chihuly-esque gardens. Later this year, children will emboss bowls with foil, learning about Paul Revere’s
silversmithing — his famous Liberty Bowl is a cherished artifact in the museum’s collection — along the way.
Melissa Skan, an 18-year-old student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, recently welcomed the foray into art history while she was at Massachusetts
General Hospital being monitored for a low
heart rate.
When Mr. Springer brought clay and sculpture supplies to her room, she set about forming a snow leopard, receiving some technical coaching. It reminded
her of a high-school project she had done on Matisse, who had begun painting while he was recovering from
appendicitis.
“I was like, ‘Hmm, I better do some art while I’m here, just in case,’ ” joked Ms. Skan.
A version of this article appeared in print on March 15, 2012, on page F2 of the New York edition with the headline: Hoping That Art Helps With Healing.
