A big dose of art therapy

By Jessica Blanchard
Seattle Times staff reporter

BRIAN CASSELLA / THE SEATTLE TIMES Shoreline firefighter Craig Overfield and Shandra Clark, 13, of Kalispell, Mont., work on a paint-by-numbers mural yesterday in the burn unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most read articles Most e-mailed articles

The 47-year-old Olympia woman had been hospitalized at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for nearly a month after having a skin graft on her leg. While the surgery had been successful, the boredom and isolation were starting to get to her. And for someone who loves to draw, paint and write as much as she does, it was frustrating not to have any outlet for her creativity.

Yesterday, she finally got the chance to pick up a paintbrush again. Guided by local artist Cheryl dos Remedios, VanNieuwenhuizen and a small group of Harborview burn-unit patients began painting panels for two murals that will grace nearby Metro bus shelters.

The murals, which dos Remedios hoped would reflect the hospital staff's welcoming attitude toward patients, feature native animals and birds set against a pattern of blue waves. Because the work was divided into 12 paint-by-number panels, even patients who didn't have much energy or artistic ability were able to participate in painting, Harborview arts-program manager Peggy Weiss said.

The mural project is the hospital's latest approach to art therapy, in which patients create or view art to promote healing, boost spirits and relieve stress. Besides helping ease the boredom many patients feel, it helps them hone their motor skills and gives them a chance to interact with other patients, Weiss said.

	BRIAN CASSELLA / THE SEATTLE TIMES Paul Grindall checks a guide while working on a paint-by-numbers mural yesterday at Harborview Medical Center.

"We're not very hung up on staying inside the lines," Weiss said. "It's much more about the patients' experience. ... We wanted a way for everybody to be able to join in."

Shandra Clark, a Kalispell, Mont., 13-year-old who was burned in a gasoline fire, said she enjoyed painting even if she had to do it with her left hand. She smiled as firefighters, who volunteer in the unit, helped her paint and playfully argued with each other over who was painting outside the lines.

"A lot [of patients] have never painted or are scared to paint because they think they aren't good enough," said Julie Tapusoa, a Harborview recreation therapist. "But it's good for them to try something new."

Tapusoa came up with the idea for the murals while waiting for the bus one day. In her view, art-therapy projects like the murals are invaluable for helping bring patients out of their shell.

Weiss said the mural project is just one way the hospital is incorporating art therapy into patient care. Patients are urged to participate in group discussions after theater presentations, and a group of a cappella singers visits the hospital every few weeks to serenade patients. Harborview also has a strong visual-arts program and was the first hospital to benefit from King County's "One Percent for Arts" program, Weiss said.

"It's about creating that kind of comfortable atmosphere for patients," she said, adding that dos Remedios was selected for the Harborview mural project because her imagery "is basically drawn from nature and wildlife, things we felt would be comforting for patients" — especially since they can't be out there themselves.

The Harborview murals are dos Remedios' first community art project.

She hoped to have all 12 sections of the murals painted by the end of July. Then they're to be sent to Metro, which will apply a lacquer. Dos Remedios also is creating a design to sandblast on the shelters' upper Plexiglas sides to prevent graffiti and give the structure a finished look. Hospital officials hope to have the murals installed in August.

Weiss said more than 100 patients already had worked on the murals, and that if patients continued to show interest, similar projects might be added.

For VanNieuwenhuizen, it's already a success.

"This helped change my attitude for the better," she said. "It can really help with healing, because [painting] makes you happy, and happiness is a healer."

Jessica Blanchard: 206-464-3896 or jblanchard@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

E-mail this article

Print this article

Search archive

More local news headlines...