The Art of Healing
Healing the mind, body, and soul through art
By Jodi Hersey
Art is far more than a pretty painting, a finely detailed sculpture, or a comforting arrangement of music. Research shows art can be a catalyst for healing. St. Joseph Healthcare in Bangor believes so strongly in the benefits of art that it has created a Healing Arts Program. Overseen by the Healing Arts Commission, this all-volunteer group is dedicated to strategically displaying paintings and other works of art throughout the healthcare organization’s campuses.
“We have art hung in very crucial areas of the hospital to try to enhance the healthcare environment,” said Mary Hollister, a Healing Arts Commission member.
According to the University Hospital Foundation, studies show exposure to the arts can reduce stress, decrease the need for pain medication, and even shorten hospital stays. For doctors and caregivers, art is also beneficial. According to cedars-sinai.org, art is linked with improving the ability to handle demanding, stressful jobs.
“I think every one of us is an artist at some level, whether it is producing art or appreciating art,” said Jeff Wahlstrom, a volunteer who joined the Healing Arts Commission two years ago.
Wahlstrom is one of six members who make up the commission at the hospital. The group is in charge of acquiring art, as well as rotating art exhibits, permanent collections, sculptures, music, and performances. They are also the ones who manually remove art and hang up new work; all of which are created by artists from Vacationland.
“There are so many great Maine artists that don’t get the recognition they deserve so it was important to us to use Maine artists,” explained Hollister. “I think what is important to us isn’t necessarily stylistically what the artist creates, but the quality of the work. We look for artists who do quality paintings, prints, drawings, and photographs that will relate to the people who will visit the hospital.”
Some of the art displayed is owned by the hospital; other pieces are on loan from the artists themselves. There are rotating exhibits at the gallery at St. Joseph Internal Medicine located at 900 Broadway. Meanwhile, inside the main hospital at 360 Broadway, patients, visitors, and staff will see colors bursting from pieces located in the small lobbies outside the elevators on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors. There you will find artwork of flowers in various stages of bloom by artist LeAnne Mallonee and landscapes filled with trees, green grass, and water by artist James Linehan.
“The group of paintings I painted is from the 1990s in [the village of] Isleford,” Linehan said. “I gave the paintings to the hospital in honor of my parents, John and Maryrose Linehan of Cape Elizabeth.”
The Power of Art
According to mayoclinic.org, visual art like drawings or paintings can provide enjoyment and distractions from things like pain and anxiety, while listening to music might help improve blood pressure and sleep quality and can even help keep one calm and relaxed during a medical procedure.
Besides being an artist, Linehan spent four decades of his 47 years teaching art at the University of Maine. He was also a patient at St. Joseph Hospital on the very floor his artwork is displayed.
“It was so nice to revisit these paintings when I was recovering,” said Linehan. “I feel such a kinship with the place.”
As much as he enjoyed teaching, Linehan said he is very happy to be retired and now painting fulltime.
“I admire the hospitals’ program of holistic healing and using art as one of the tools for aiding healing,” he said. “I commend the Healing Arts Commission for doing a great job and being a great host for artists in the region.”
When Music Becomes Medicine
The Healing Arts Program at St. Joseph Hospital also has a partnership with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, where a cellist and violinist play for patients, visitors, and staff each week.
“I can give medication. I can reposition a patient. But when the BSO plays their beautiful music, they give something to a patient that no amount of nursing skills can provide,” said staff nurse Naomi Freedberg. “I choose to work on Tuesdays because I know that is when they always come. When I see the BSO musicians show up on our floor, it creates a calmness for me in addition to what I know it’s going to do for patients.”
Offering Comfort & Calm
Wahlstrom and the other members of the Healing Arts Commission met recently to hang up new pieces. He said it’s not uncommon to overhear people remark on the artwork while traveling through the hospital corridors.
“It’s really rewarding to see how excited people are and how much they appreciate it,” Wahlstrom said. “It’s also exciting to see the looks on their faces as they make their way down the hallways sometimes to an appointment they don’t want to go to and are not looking forward to and they have an opportunity to see some of the best art in the state.”
