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In the spring of 2013, I was selected by the Artworks ArtRX program to create a series of 11 handmade paper & fabric collages depicting flower gardens. Artworks in partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), commissions artists to focus on the healing and life enhancing qualities of art in the hospital environment. The art will hang in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the hospital.

A unique aspect of the project is community engagement where the selected artists work with the patients, families and staff to create elements that will be incorporated into the art. In my case I brought the hand papermaking process to a meeting room in the NICU for two separate opportunities for papers to be handmade and decorated using colored cotton pulp.  The butterflies and some of the papers used to make the flowers were made during these sessions and each of the 11 flower gardens contains some of these elements.

I feel honored to be a part of this program and to have the opportunity to create these colorful, whimsical gardens of hope and healing for the hospital setting. Many months were spent working with the committee at Children’s to come up with the final art.  From initial concepts to scale drawings, (10 pieces are 20” x 28” and 1 piece is  24” x 24”) finding fabrics, making various handmade textured papers in the Children’s Hospital color palette , cutting out all the shapes and then creating a pulp painted base took a number of months.  After the assembly of the elements in the wet stage, pressing and drying of the paper, I finally was able to look at the art hanging on a wall and did the finishing colored pencil drawing to enhance the details.

I’ve posted images featuring each piece and details from the pieces.