{"article":{"id":3830,"title":"The Healing Power of Art: Art’s Impact on Healthcare","excerpt":"","body":"<html><head></head><body><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/mbokkwjpqthbgesukcs9.jpg\"><figcaption>Lynnea Holland-Weiss, <i>Embrace</i>, 2022, Acrylic Mural on Drywall, 25’ x 20’. Photo courtesy of Nic Lehoux Architectural Photography. From the permanent collection of the MetroHealth Glick Center in Cleveland, OH.</figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>By LAURA M. METTAM</p><p>I left Chicago in 2015 after working in the River North gallery district for ten years with <i>Chicago Gallery News</i>. Fresh out of college and immersed in Chicago’s art community, this was a pivotal time in my life. I loved the city’s public art and world-class museums, and I got to know many wonderful people and artists from the gallery world. Season after season, year after year, I felt the excitement of opening nights in the galleries and the buzz of crowded art fairs.&nbsp;</p><p>Art had this power to connect the community and bring people together. To excite and to move people. After working in other industries over the past few years, I recently found my way back to the arts. While the setting is different, I’m witnessing the same powerful impact that the arts can have on people in the environment of care.&nbsp;</p><p>I’m proud to work with the Gifts of Art (GOA) program at Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan’s academic medical center. Home to one of the largest healthcare complexes in the state, Michigan Medicine has been a premier site of groundbreaking medical and technological advancements since it was founded in 1848.&nbsp;</p><p>Michigan Medicine’s Gifts of Art program was designed as an innovation in healthcare delivery as part of the new University of Michigan Hospital that opened in 1986. One of the first and most comprehensive arts in health programs nationwide, GOA’s programming aims to transform the hospital experience in support of health and wellness for patients, guests, faculty, caregivers, and learners.&nbsp;</p><p>GOA’s multifaceted programs include rotating art exhibitions in nine separate gallery spaces, concerts and performances, and one-on-one bedside visits from artists and musicians. Our Art Cart program offers a lending library of art prints for patient rooms, and we maintain the Friends Meditation Garden as a tranquil space in the hospital courtyard. Michigan Medicine staff is encouraged to participate in an annual employee art exhibition, hospital-wide art projects and drop-in workshops. We reach the greater community through programs such as the Life Sciences Orchestra, our symphonic orchestra for members of the U-M life sciences community.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/mhmu4buz9znm1mydey8q.jpg\"><figcaption>Gifts of Art Gallery featuring photography by Takeisha Jefferson in Michigan Medicine’s University Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI.&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><blockquote><p><i>The arts and humanities give expression to that aspect of human health not readily accessible or quantifiable. They reinforce and encourage the presence, in a health care setting, of communication, courage, hope, understanding, compassion, humor, acceptance, and peace.”&nbsp;</i></p><p>- Ralph Snyderman, MD, Former Chancellor for Health Affairs, Duke University Medical Center</p></blockquote><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The World Health Organization’s research supports the role of arts in the environment of care and recognizes its positive impact on holistic health and wellbeing. We witness this firsthand when we hear touching stories from families recounting the rich impact that GOA has had on patients. We also see a ripple effect when we meet people who want to give back after being on the receiving end. Creating art is a means to express ourselves as well as provide a sense of control and autonomy. Neuroscience research on mental health, cognition and development is plentiful and shows that listening to live therapeutic music can reduce stress and promote emotional healing while stimulating the brain and long-forgotten memories.&nbsp;</p><p>Elaine Sims, Director of the Gifts of Art program, elaborates on why art in hospitals has such a profound effect, “We might say it’s&nbsp;because art in healthcare has a job to do. It is not intended to merely hang on the wall and look pretty. It is a workhorse whose job is to distract, engage, comfort, calm, maintain a presence, provide clues to social support, and help retain personal identity.&nbsp;Some permanent pieces stand the test of time, but additional energy, pleasure and surprise comes from art that is ever changing. In this environment, art is a powerful presence and is experienced quite differently than when viewed in a museum or gallery. The relationship between the viewer and the art object is more visceral, immediate, and intimate.”</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/msbae4fyrpcubuefzczh.jpg\"><figcaption>Pictured here is a bedside art watercolor kit and one of GOA’s bedside musicians playing harp in the background. GOA’s bedside art and music services provide an intimate experience for patients and guests right in the hospital room.&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><p class=\"lead\">&nbsp;</p><p class=\"lead\">Recognizing New Needs in Healthcare</p><p>The arts in health field has evolved over the past several decades and continues to grow. The Society of Healthcare Arts Administrators was founded in 1989 during the first convocation hosted by the Cultural Services Program, Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. This original group of arts administrators and practitioners was born out of a need for peer support and inspiration from other institutions. After several name changes over the years (from Society for the Arts in Healthcare; Global Alliance for Arts in Health; Art and Health Alliance) this organization ultimately disbanded in 2014. The National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) was formed in 2016 and picked up where the previous arts in health organization left off.&nbsp;</p><p>NOAH provides leadership for organizations such as GOA with a research-based focus on arts, health, and wellbeing, and a mission to unite and advance the field. NOAH produces professionalization resources, member support, and guidance intended to define industry standards and ethical practices. Annual conferences are held throughout the US as a chance for participants to connect and learn about emerging research and topics; this fall Houston, TX, will host. I attended my first NOAH conference last fall in Cleveland, OH, where I toured two impressive examples of robust arts in health programs.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092761/hwqerskvm3adjvwhpstc.jpg\"><figcaption><i>A captive audience enjoying a musical performance from the Gifts of Art program at Michigan Medicine in the late ‘80s.&nbsp;</i></figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Cleveland Clinic boasts more than 81,000 caregivers worldwide in 23 hospitals and 276 outpatient facilities, with around 14 million patient visits per year. Cleveland Clinic Arts &amp; Medicine was created for the purpose of integrating the visual arts, music, performing arts and research to promote healing and to enhance the experience of patients, families, visitors and caregivers. Cleveland Clinic’s contemporary art collection creates a museum-like environment, which viewers can interact with through their custom art and architecture app, AR+, that allows exploration of their flagship locations.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092762/fu9j5rhsiu1sxlc79ty3.jpg\"><figcaption><i>Yayoi Kusama, </i>Pumpkin<i>, 2014, fiberglass-reinforced plastic and urethane paint. Gift of Robert M. Kaye; © Yayoi Kusama; Courtesy of David Zwirner, New York / Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo and Singapore / Victoria Miro, London / YAYOI KUSAMA Inc. On display in Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.&nbsp;</i></figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>“The artwork at Cleveland Clinic humanizes spaces that can feel unfamiliar or overwhelming,” says Ellen Rudolph, Senior Director &amp; Curator for the Cleveland Clinic Art Collection. Rudolph continues, “Yayoi Kusama’s <i>Pumpkin</i>,&nbsp;for example,&nbsp;has become iconic within the collection. Located in the Miller Family Pavilion entrance, it is a welcoming beacon when you enter the hospital and the sculpture also serves as an important wayfinding tool and meetup spot.”</p><p>I was moved by the poignant large-scale mural in MetroHealth’s Glick Center in Cleveland, OH. Linda Jackson, Director of the Center for Arts in Health at MetroHealth provided more insight, “Embrace is about empathy, support, hope and lifting each other up, physically and emotionally. It is about encouragement and getting through whatever life brings us, together. There is a sense of tenderness and patience in the faces of these figures, as they are in motion, adjusting to one another and moving as one. The warm and cool color combinations within the bodies emphasize the emotion but also allow room for the figures to become whomever the viewers see them to be. It invites the viewer to relate to what they might be experiencing and reflect on our collective humanity, on healing, and what brings us together.”</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092762/bzmizgftcxazvvfi6ino.jpg\"><figcaption>The University of Chicago Medicine’s permanent art collection in the Center for Care and Discovery includes work from well-known Chicago artists including Michiko Itatani and this piece, <i>Untitled</i>, from her <i>Cosmic Theater</i> series.&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The MetroHealth System’s Center for Arts in Health integrates the visual, performing and therapeutic arts in its hospitals, clinics, schools and neighborhoods for the benefit of patients, families, caregivers and the greater community. Uniquely embedded within MetroHealth’s Institute for H.O.P.E.™ ensures the arts play a valuable role in addressing the social determinants of health. Innovative programming and partnerships with artists, arts organizations, academic institutions and community-based organizations are strategically aligned and employed within their walls and in the community.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092763/hxacbsgazdcijyvdxchr.jpg\"><figcaption><i>Snow City Arts music workshops focus on the gratifying experience of creating music, regardless of skill or exposure level. Photo by Jaclyn Silverman.</i></figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Chicago’s Snow City Arts is an arts in health organization that brings art education and programming to children and youth in local hospitals including Rush University Children’s Hospital, Ann &amp; Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Children’s Hospital University of Illinois, and Cook County Health. To enhance their arts and education offerings Snow City Arts has a long history of partnerships with cultural organizations including the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Columbia College Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago, the Smart Museum at the University of Chicago, the Old Town School of Folk Music, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and more. Their team empowers and encourages children and young adults through programming in visual arts, media arts, music, creative writing, theatre, and dance.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092764/ipxwdfgu3h0cex8yrole.jpg\"><figcaption><i>University of Michigan Life Sciences Orchestra with Nicholas Bromilow, the Drs. Spindler &amp; Juran Music Director, May 2024. Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan.&nbsp;</i></figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The University of Chicago Medicine’s (UCM) Healing Arts Program was developed as an extension of UCM’s commitment to excellence in patient care, research and education, and offers artistic and aesthetic opportunities for its patients, guests, and UCM staff. The program’s mission is to enrich lives, assist and support the healing process, and reduce the stress and anxiety associated with healthcare environments. Healing Arts coordinator, Monica Hork explains, “The ability to comfort, console and sustain is one of the most enduring qualities of the arts. They can give voice to our deepest fears, our feelings of loss, and our hopes for the future.”</p><p>Enhancing the environment of care through art is also an important consideration for medical staff. The topic of burnout has become more widely acknowledged over the years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Chronic stress, PTSD, and high levels of emotional exhaustion or depersonalization contribute to burnout - these stressors are also an occupational hazard that many healthcare workers struggle with. Art interventions benefit patients and guests, but they also benefit the tens of thousands of caregivers working within the facility. &nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092765/ngvtysqnpyucvfyzzoeo.jpg\"><figcaption><i>Saraswathi Ranganathan performing Indian veena instrumental music in the University of Chicago Medicine’s Sky Lobby.&nbsp;</i></figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Hospitals can be hard places to be. When you or a loved one needs care and the future is unknown, feelings of isolation, helplessness and uncertainty can quickly become overwhelming. Our sense of identity can fade when the ground feels unsteady. In challenging moments like these when we feel weak or lost, there’s something transcendent about experiencing music or art. The arts can mitigate stress, provide levity, build resilience, and remind us of our humanity. Much like public art which can be impactful after just a fleeting moment when we pass by a beautiful mural or eye-catching installation, experiencing art in the environment of care has the same meaningful potential to shift our focus, lift our mood, and linger in our minds long after the encounter.</p><p>#</p><p>&nbsp;</p><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092766/uljivx4dvqkjz2kjqmyd.jpg\"><figcaption><i>Jaume Plensa, </i>Cleveland Soul,<i> 2007, steel and stone. © Jaume Plensa; Courtesy of Jaume Plensa and Galerie Lelong &amp; Co. Photo by Thom Sivo. On display in Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.&nbsp;</i></figcaption></figure><p>&nbsp;</p></body></html>","published_at":"2024-09-26 09:00:00","state":"published","slug":"the-healing-power-of-art-art-s-impact-on-healthcare","type":"NewsPost","meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2024-09-25 20:23:48","updated_at":"2024-09-25 20:23:48","category_id":4,"highlighted":true,"searchable":"'-19':1778B '000':1017B '14':1029B '1848':248B '1986':276B '1989':803B '20':23B '2007':1979B '2014':872B,1103B '2015':51B '2016':884B '2022':16B '2024':1636B '23':1021B '25':21B '276':1024B '80s':1010B '81':1016B 'abil':1713B 'academ':216B,1451B 'accept':469B 'access':448B 'acknowledg':1770B 'acryl':17B 'addit':685B 'address':1437B 'adjust':1290B 'administr':799B,826B 'adult':1606B 'advanc':242B,922B 'aesthet':1673B 'affair':479B,1567B 'aftermath':1782B 'aim':292B 'align':1460B 'allianc':858B,866B 'allow':1094B,1312B 'also':532B,1202B,1311B,1755B,1800B,1818B 'ann':431B,1523B,1639B 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He stands well over six feet and is consistently dressed in black from head to toe, complete with boots and a signature wide-brimmed cowboy hat. His silhouette has remained unchanged since he arrived from East Tennessee in 1998, save for his long hair slowly turning grey. Since we first met back in 2002, I have never once seen him out of this attire. Yet whether encountering him at gallery openings or during visits to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, where he works as building operations manager, that imposing visual style is always balanced by an easy, genuine warmth and impeccable manners rooted in his Appalachian upbringing. It’s an unpretentious demeanor that has earned him a quiet, lasting respect across the community.</p><p><br></p><p>Anderson is best known as a dedicated artist and a vital behind-the-scenes force at the MCA. His current solo exhibition, <em>Messengers and Oracles</em>, at the West Town Chamber of Commerce, offers a welcome look into his personal and creative practice. Featuring nineteen drawings, the exhibition focuses heavily on memory and how we are shaped by places and people. The majority of the works were already sold, despite being exhibited outside of a traditional commercial gallery space. Opening night also celebrated the release of his beautiful monograph of the same name, which is now officially available for purchase at the MCA Store. The artwork leans into Anderson’s Appalachian roots, bringing his childhood background into a direct conversation with his decades of lived experience in Chicago.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791908055/rayhnjclo0ruoorpzkxk.jpg\"></p><p><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Stormlight</em></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">24\" x 20\" x 1 3/4\"</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">colored pencil on archival paper, framed with museum glass</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">photo credit: Nathan Keay</span></p><p><br></p><p>Anderson’s geography isn't just a straight line from the South to the Midwest, though. His marriage has introduced a deep Japanese influence to his life, adding another layer to the work. You can see this cultural mix directly in some of the drawings, portraits of anonymous Japanese figures set against a backdrop of familiar Chicago architecture and cityscapes.</p><p>While Anderson’s drawings have always stemmed from his own life and memories, this newest body of work has a profound focus on loss and grief. The exhibition serves as a tribute to his mother, as Anderson recently reached the exact age she was at her passing. This enduring grief is compounded by the consecutive losses of his dog Smokey, his artistic brother-in-arms Tony Fitzpatrick, and his art hero Don Meckley between 2025 and 2026. In light of these profound losses, his signature technique of mark-making on black paper feels especially fitting, giving these deeply personal images a darker, more forlorn feel.</p><p><br></p><p>Anderson's process makes perfect sense when you understand a love for German Expressionism that dates back to his childhood. In the spirit of that movement, his technique of coloring on black paper makes the bright colors jump, letting his animals emerge directly out of the deep shadows. You can see this dramatic mood across his landscapes and cityscapes—whether capturing weathered old houses, the dark silhouette of the John Hancock Center, or the towering form of the Willis Tower.</p><p><br></p><p>Anderson notes he is a \"huge fan of Symbolism and Romanticism,\" blending those traditions with \"a bit of dream-like revelation and vision\" to create a magical world of his own. He imagines solitary animals as protectors keeping watch over the people and places he has lost. Although only a few pieces on display feature human figures, many drawings are filled with bears, elk, wolves, birds, and dogs. By dropping these creatures directly into man-made settings, he creates a strange visual tension—granting the animals a powerful presence that disrupts an otherwise quiet human environment.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791908056/qdwc0lceoxzowrdenxfv.jpg\"></p><p><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">The Hospital Escape</em></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">24\" x 20\" x 1 3/4\"</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">colored&nbsp;pencil&nbsp;on archival paper, framed with museum glass</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">photo credit: Nathan Keay</span></p><p><br></p><p>Many of these drawings focus on a single, isolated figure. <em>The Hospital Escape</em> (18” x 15”) features a massive elk standing under a glowing streetlamp. This powerful image hints at a wild animal breaking free from an institutional space and stepping out into the city, tapping into timeless themes of survival and freedom.</p><p><br></p><p><em>Storm Light</em> (18” x 15”) shifts into a quieter, more tense atmosphere, focusing on the weathered Victorian house where Anderson lived in the attic while a student at East Tennessee State University. Warm sunlight hits the front steps and grass, bathing the home in a serene beauty that contrasts with the dark, stormy sky. Perched on the peak of the roof is a massive black heron with its wings spread wide—completely dominating the structure as both a menacing hunter and a fierce, protective shield: an oracle keeping watch.</p><p><br></p><p>The mood shifts with<em> The Pact </em>(18” x 15”), created in memory of Fitzpatrick. A well-worn tombstone stands in an overgrown cemetery with a wolf sleeping peacefully in front of it. Rather than feeling ominous or macabre, the image carries a serene beauty, and the sleeping animal brings a gentle ease to Fitzpatrick's passing. Through this peaceful presence at the grave, Anderson cuts through the heavy grief of the exhibition with a rare moment of comfort.</p><p><br></p><p><em>The Silent City</em> (18” x 15”) blends his two worlds through an intentional ambiguity. Featuring a female face rendered in deep purple and adorned with traditional hair ornaments, an anonymous Japanese figure looks directly at the viewer with a calm expression against the dark silhouette of the Willis Tower. Anderson notes she “may or may not be a ghost or emissary,” juxtaposing her against the landmark to seamlessly connect his current life with his family’s heritage.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791908057/gyuv6oytspfzwatqxxgv.jpg\"></p><p><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Sunday Morning</em></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">20\" x 18\" x 1 3/4\"</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">colored pencil on paper, framed with museum glass</span></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">photo credit: Nathan Keay</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>A direct tribute to his mother is <em>Sunday Morning</em> (18” x 15”). Dressed in her Sunday best—a coat, scarf, gloves, and pumps—she stands against a soft blue glow as a white owl swoops toward her. The lights of the John Hancock Center glow as the iconic building rises in the background against a crimson and orange sky. This stunning juxtaposition brings her memory directly into the urban landscape he has inhabited for decades.</p><p><br></p><p>An atmospheric touch to the show is a collaborative sound loop by Paul Deuth. Anderson designed the audio to match the mood of what is on the walls, with Deuth shaping the sounds to be \"dark, magical, and other-worldly.\" It is a beautiful blend of sight and sound that completely pulls the room together. Ultimately, the exhibition stands as a quiet reminder of profound artwork built on real human issues, ignoring the fleeting, superficial trends that too often dictate the whims of the contemporary art world.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>#</p><p><br></p><p><em>Messengers and Oracles</em> runs through October 23, 2026.</p><p><a href=\"https://www.westtownchamber.org\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">West Town Chamber of Commerce</a> | 1819 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL</p><p><br></p><p>Open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.</p><p><br></p><p>Meet the artist for a special book signing on Saturday, October 17, from noon to 4:00 PM.</p><p><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/DuncanRobertAnderson/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">@DuncanRobertAnderson</a></p><p><br></p>","published_at":"2026-10-13 11:01:52.088","state":"published","slug":"duncan-robert-anderson-messengers-and-oracles","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-13 16:14:17.525","updated_at":"2026-10-13 16:14:17.525","category_id":4,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'00':1200B,1204B,1222B '1':15B,313B,680B,999B '15':710B,752B,845B,921B,1024B '16':13B '17':1217B '18':11B,708B,750B,843B,919B,997B,1022B '1819':1189B '1998':94B '20':311B,678B,995B '2002':109B '2025':463B '2026':465B,1183B '23':1182B '24':309B,676B '3/4':16B,314B,681B,1000B '4':1221B '5':1203B '9':1199B 'across':177B,549B 'ad':355B 'adorn':939B 'age':429B 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29, 2026. </span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>By GINNY VAN ALYEA</p><p><br></p><p>“Now in Chicago, we have a tradition of significant public sculptures, not without controversy,” Professor Tony Jones CBE observed during an August 29 conversation with Scottish sculptor Andy Scott OBE at the Driehaus Museum.</p><p><br></p><p>Hosted by Chicago Scots, the evening brought together artists, preservation specialists and members of Chicago’s Scottish community for a dinner and discussion about the cultural and economic importance of public art. It also recognized the restoration underway at the Robert Burns monument in Garfield Park, a gift to Chicago from its Scottish community in 1906.</p><p><br></p><p>Gary Maclean, National Chef of Scotland, prepared an exceptional three-course tasting menu with whisky pairings. Following dinner in the museum’s newly-restored auditorium, Jones and Scott turned to the work behind public sculpture, from securing funding and solving engineering problems to seeing an artwork become part of a community’s identity.</p><p><br></p><p>Jones and Scott met during Scott's student years at the Glasgow School of Art, which Jones then led. A sculptor himself, Jones later served as president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a Chicago Scots board member.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791349528/rvcpupuficqwkyfty9to.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">A view of Scott's The Kelpies in Falkirk, Scotland</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Scott is best known for&nbsp;<em>The Kelpies</em>, two 100-foot steel horse heads in Falkirk, Scotland, inspired by the Clydesdales that worked along the canals and on the land. Chicago audiences encountered their maquettes on the lakefront during the 2012–13 Chicago Sculpture International exhibition.</p><p><br></p><p>Chicago, of course, offered an example of what ambitious public art could accomplish. Scott recalled using the city’s large-scale artworks as inspiration and to give his client team confidence in the project that became&nbsp;<em>The Kelpies</em>. That confidence was tested, he says. Scott described an eight-and-a-half-year process, prolonged by political impasses and funding difficulties. Some coverage became hostile. As the sculptures began to rise, however, opinions shifted in their favor.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791349529/lxnkb4dn3emvbqf3gx9k.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Scott during fabrication of the Kelpies</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>“You need to tough it out,” he shared.</p><p><br></p><p>At one point, financial pressures prompted suggestions to reduce the sculptures to roughly a third of their intended size, or build only one horse head. Scott and his wife, Hanneke, resisted.</p><p><br></p><p>“We drew a line in the sand and said absolutely not,” he recalled.</p><p><br></p><p>The finished sculptures became a tourism landmark and appeared in campaigns promoting Britain, including advertisements in China and at a London airport. In April 2025, Falkirk Council reported that The Helix, the park home to&nbsp;<em>The Kelpies</em>, had welcomed one million visitors in the preceding year, helping attract business to the area. Over a decade since their construction there are measurable benefits directly attributed to the Kelpies, including a tourism boost to Falkirk of 73% and 1,380 local annual jobs. Falkirk's population is just 40,000 residents. </p><p><br></p><p>For Scott, the response extended beyond visitor numbers. He pointed to “that passion and ownership and pride” among people who had embraced the sculptures.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791349529/nswajfhnhzutlhgwqope.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the Kelpies when the Queen officially opened the&nbsp;Queen&nbsp;Elizabeth&nbsp;II Canal in 2017.</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Jones described a similar sense of attachment in Chicago. Recalling the opening of Jaume Plensa's Crown Fountain, he noted how quickly children adopted its shallow pool, learning to anticipate the water pouring from the faces on its towers.</p><p><br></p><p>“It was an amazing moment that we could never have predicted,” he said.</p><p><br></p><p>Jones went on to highlight the numbers that back up the impact of Millennium Park and its public art on the City of Chicago. From 2003-2026 the estimated impact is $2.5 billion. The Kelpies have not been in existence quite as long but their impact will last for decades to come. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791349530/qsgbquwhl41cwjzefzxn.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Jones shared a photo of the parking lot that Millennium Park and its public art replaced. </span></p><p><br></p><p>*</p><p><br></p><p>Public art was the theme of the evening, and not just because an internationally known artist from Scotland was in Chicago to discuss the Kelpies. The Chicago Scots have their own long history of supporting art that is part of the community. Chicago Scots, founded in 1845 as the Illinois Saint Andrew Society, joined other Scottish organizations in supporting William Grant Stevenson’s Robert Burns monument more than a century ago. Today, the organization is raising funds to supplement the Chicago Park District’s restoration budget and support ongoing maintenance of the ode to Scotland's national poet here in <span style=\"color: rgb(13, 13, 13);\">has a long history in Garfield Park.</span></p><p><br></p><p>Conservator and sculptor Andrzej Dajnowski, who attended the dinner, is in the process of recreating four stolen bronze relief panels that once belonged on the sculpture, as Burns’s missing quill. <span style=\"color: rgb(13, 13, 13);\">Dajnowski will quite literally help put a pen back into the poet's hand soon. </span></p><p><br></p><p>Andrew Schneider, the Park District’s director of historic assets, described its long-term stewardship partnership with Chicago Scots as the first of its kind in the district’s history and one that connects the creation of new landmarks with the responsibility of caring for those Chicago already has so that the public may enjoy art and its impact for the ages. </p><p><br></p><p>#</p><p><br></p><p><em>Publisher's note: Ginny Van Alyea has served on the Chicago Scots Board of Governors since 2009 and also attended the Glasgow School of Art in 2001.</em></p><p><br></p>","published_at":"2026-10-07 00:00:00","state":"published","slug":"from-chicago-to-scotland-the-reach-of-public-art","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-07 05:05:31.263","updated_at":"2026-10-07 05:05:31.263","category_id":4,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'-2026':622B '000':498B '1':487B '100':238B '13':270B '1845':710B '1906':121B '2.5':627B '2001':906B '2003':621B '2009':896B '2012':269B '2017':543B '2025':435B '2026':27B '29':26B,54B '380':488B '40':497B '73':485B 'absolut':407B 'accomplish':287B 'adopt':567B 'advertis':425B 'age':879B 'ago':734B 'airport':432B 'along':252B 'alreadi':865B 'also':99B,898B 'alyea':31B,885B 'amaz':586B 'ambiti':283B 'among':517B 'andi':15B,59B 'andrew':715B,817B 'andrzej':774B 'annual':490B 'anticip':573B 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rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Not Just Another Pretty Face</a> (NJAPF). This special experience and exhibition began in the mid-1990s and occurs only every three years.</p><p><br></p><p>Not Just Another Pretty Face uses a matchmaking program to connect local patrons with artists. During this experience, patrons and artists choose each other, and the artist creates artwork specifically for that patron. Works range from traditional to experimental, depending on the artist chosen and the desires of the patron. At the end of the experience, the pieces are unveiled in an exhibition later this year before being purchased and taken home by the patron.</p><p><br></p><p>This matchmaking process differs from traditional art purchasing. Instead of collectors looking for works that already exist, purchasing them, and moving on, they become part of the artistic process and the work’s origin. Once matched, patrons meet with artists to discuss what they like and what they hope for from the final work, and the artist melds those desires with their own style.</p><p><br></p><p>The process cultivates a sense of generosity between artist and patron as they mutually share themselves and allow each other into their individual worlds. It facilitates lasting relationships that do not often develop naturally in gallery spaces and plays an important role in establishing broader financial support for the artistic community.</p><p><br></p><p>Director of Development Eric Thompson has been with Hyde Park Art Center since 2023, making this his second iteration of NJAPF. As this year’s program nears completion, Thompson offered insight into how the experience comes together.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789744923/iltm7ht7zujlikhhpjid.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">A commission being unveiled at Hyde Park Art Center</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Jackie Lewis: What is the process for artists and patrons to sign up for this experience?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Eric Thompson:</strong> For the artists, our team begins reaching out to invite them to participate about 18 months before the unveiling. For this iteration, conversations began in late spring 2025. They provide information on their artistic process, image examples of their work, and their commission rate. Our team then publicizes this information on our website and presents the artists at various salons throughout the city.</p><p><br></p><p>Several supporters of the Art Center host NJAPF salons and invite their own guests. Potential patrons learn about the artists and the project at large and express interest with our team. From there, we work to get the commission started!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Once artists and patrons are chosen, what does the matchmaking process look like? Is there any process beyond the salons?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Eric Thompson: </strong>Much of the process happens after the salons. Patrons and the Hyde Park Art Center staff discuss artists who have piqued their interest. The HPAC staff sets up studio visits with the artists, giving the patron and artist a chance to meet, learn about each other, and discuss a possible commission. Sometimes artists may meet with multiple patrons through the project, and patrons will visit multiple studios before making a decision. Once a patron and artist agree to work together, the artist begins the work.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: What is your role in the process? How does HPAC support both the artists and the patrons?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Eric Thompson:</strong> NJAPF is a win-win-win situation for all parties. The patron has the opportunity to meet amazing Chicago artists, receives a unique commissioned work, and has that piece included in a public exhibition at the Art Center. The artist receives payment for the work, has the opportunity to expand their network of collectors, and often pushes their own practice through this process. The Art Center also benefits, as half of the commission serves as a tax-deductible donation that supports our mission to sustain Chicago art and artists.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: What aspect of NJAPF do you think has the greatest impact on the Chicago art community?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Eric Thompson: </strong>The project itself embodies the mission of the Art Center: it is designed for artists in Chicago to flourish. I think the greatest impact from the program’s ten iterations is the access it has created between artists and patrons. Relationships have been built. It is all about connection—a personal connection to the art and the connection between the artist and the patron. As a staff member, it is a wonderful thing to observe.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p class=\"ql-align-center\">*</p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789744924/hrzsontqcaqfvocwlay0.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Sarah Nishiura, </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Inching</em></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789744925/h0b8mudpvkr54bss2yvp.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">D. Lammie-Hanson, </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Agility to Surrender,</em><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\"> 14k gold on Acrylic&nbsp;(wood panel)</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong><em>A Word From the Artists</em></strong></p><p><br></p><p><em>For a deeper understanding of the experience, artists D. Lammie-Hanson and Sarah Nishiura shared their own perspectives. Both have completed commissions for NJAPF in the past and are currently creating work for this year’s iteration.</em></p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: How did you first learn about NJAPF, and how did you become involved?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Sarah Nishiura:</strong> I have been teaching and exhibiting with the Hyde Park Art Center for over 15 years now, and I think it was through this affiliation that I was first invited to participate in NJAPF. I was lucky enough to receive two commissions the first year that I participated, and I think this success led to repeat invitations through the years.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>D. Lammie-Hanson:</strong> I learned about NJAPF through an email invitation from Hyde Park Art Center. After I responded that I was interested, they placed me in their rotation to be presented to their patrons.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: How has working with NJAPF affected your artistic career? Did it fit within your practice?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Sarah Nishiura: </strong>My favorite thing about NJAPF is the opportunity to step outside my usual practice to try something different. Many of the commissions I have done in the past have involved working with materials given to me by the patron. This presents technical challenges that I wouldn’t normally take on, but I learn so much from stepping outside my comfort zone every few years. I have had continued relationships with patrons, and I have appreciated seeing the commissioned pieces in their homes. There is nothing better than seeing your work be part of someone’s life.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>D. Lammie-Hanson: </strong>The patron trusted me to interpret their direction through my own lens. They gave me the subject and overall intent, and I stayed grounded by making creative choices around composition and focus that matched their goals while keeping my personal approach. Because metalpoint/silverpoint isn’t a widely known medium, working with NJAPF and Hyde Park Art Center helped me present my process to a wider audience. It also strengthened my broader portfolio by giving my work a strong platform and context.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: What was your experience working with a patron? How did it differ from your usual process?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Sarah Nishiura: </strong>The two patrons came by my studio, and we immediately found we had a lot in common and a lot to talk about. We shared some of our favorite artists, our experiences with travel, our love of craft and nature, and from these conversations they came up with great ideas for jumping-off points for the commission. At the same time, they let me know they really wanted me to have the freedom to go in any direction I wanted with the final piece. This experience only differed from my usual process because it began with conversations with other people rather than the conversation that usually happens in my own head!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>D. Lammie-Hanson: </strong>The patron visited my studio while I was an artist in residence at Little Black Pearl, and we discussed his vision. He chose my silverpoint-on-black/metalpoint technique, and we developed the direction together. This differed from my usual process because I don’t usually enjoy doing commissions, but I enjoyed working with Hyde Park Art Center through this program. After we aligned on the creative direction for the artwork, the patron gave me the freedom to carry out the piece according to my own vision.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Since you have participated in NJAPF before, what made you decide to do it again?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Sarah Nishiura:</strong> I love HPAC, and I feel like this is a great program that allows me to support their mission while also giving me a wonderful opportunity to work with collectors I might never meet otherwise. It is a win-win!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>D. Lammie-Hanson: </strong>I enjoyed the opportunity to work with Hyde Park Art Center again. I submitted my interests without knowing which new collectors would be interested, but I was willing to take the chance, and I’m glad I did.</p><p><br></p><p class=\"ql-align-center\">*</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789744926/umy0i4utfyykeobpumou.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Unveiling party attendees at Hyde Park Art Center</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong><em>From the Collectors</em></strong></p><p><br></p><p><em>To understand more about another side of the program, Ginny Van Alyea, CGN’s publisher and a past participant of NJAPF, shared her perspective as a patron who commissioned a work by artist Mel Watkin several years ago.</em></p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Before NJAPF, did you consider yourself an art collector? Had you ever commissioned a work before?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV: </strong>NJAPF appealed to my husband and me because we had bought art separately and together, but we hadn’t commissioned anything. My parents gave us the commission as a wedding gift, so it was especially meaningful.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Before meeting with the artist, did you have a specific idea for the artwork you wanted?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV:</strong> We looked through a lot of artwork before deciding whose work would be the best fit. There were so many choices, but we liked Mel Watkin’s particular focus. It felt like a good fit for creating something that spoke to both of us and our families when we got married.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: What was your experience working with the artist like? Did it feel collaborative?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV</strong>: Working with Mel on a piece that was just for us was so cool. We sent images, ideas, and references back and forth. We met for coffee. We gave a little feedback but also listened to what she suggested. It was definitely a collaborative experience, but ultimately it was still the artist who made the art.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Have you continued your relationship with your paired artist?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV</strong>: Yes! A few years later, for a milestone birthday, I commissioned Mel again to make two more works: one about our daughter and one about our son. Now all three works hang together at home.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>JL: Is there anything else you’d like to add about the experience?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>GV: </strong>I know many collectors who have participated in the program more than once, and I can see us doing it again someday. It’s a wonderful chance to work with a local artist while also setting the parameters—like price and size—up front, which is another unique benefit of the program. It’s also terrific to support HPAC and local artists at the same time. While there are some big artist names in the program, NJAPF is also a wonderful way to discover emerging artists.</p><p><br></p><p class=\"ql-align-center\">*</p><p><br></p><p>This year’s unveiling reception will take place on December 11, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at Hyde Park Art Center. Following the reception, the artwork will remain on display and will be accompanied by a catalogue documenting the entire process for patrons, artists, and visitors alike.</p><p><br></p><p>The success of NJAPF has extended beyond Chicago, with similar exhibitions adapted in Boise, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Salt Lake City. To date, the program has generated more than $2 million in sales. Half of the proceeds go directly to participating artists, while the other half supports Hyde Park Art Center’s programs and mission. With more than 400 works commissioned by over 300 new and established collectors, NJAPF has cultivated an ecosystem of patronage that enables artists to thrive.</p><p><br></p><p>By embracing and encouraging the idea of patronage in contemporary art, NJAPF has built a community of people who value not only finished works of art, but also the creative process behind them. If you missed your opportunity to participate this year, consider becoming a patron for the next iteration.</p><p><br></p><p>More details at <a href=\"https://www.hydeparkart.org/njapf-2026/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">hydeparkart.org/njapf-2026/</a></p>","published_at":"2026-09-18 08:02:07.343","state":"published","slug":"art-matchmaking-hyde-park-art-centers-not-just-another-pretty-face-returns-this-fall","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-09-18 15:22:07.165","updated_at":"2026-09-18 15:22:07.165","category_id":4,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'/metalpoint':1274B '/njapf-2026/':2007B '00':1838B,1840B '11':1834B '14k':751B '15':830B '18':339B '1990s':64B '2':1901B '2023':274B '2025':352B '2026':1835B '300':1935B '400':1930B '6':1837B '8':1839B 'access':698B 'accompani':1859B 'accord':1329B 'acryl':754B 'adapt':1884B 'add':1733B 'affect':918B 'affili':840B 'agil':748B 'ago':1483B 'agre':527B 'align':1310B 'alik':1872B 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