Driven by a passion to heal, I create high-resolution nature photographs, blending meticulous craftsmanship with evidence-based research to offer more than just visual appeal. My art is a commitment to healing, peace, and rejuvenation, aimed at enhancing well-being for individuals and their caregivers. Each image is a gateway to tranquility, fostering a nurturing environment for recovery and stress relief.
THE HEALING POWER OF NATURE
In a world where healing intersects with art, nature photography emerges as a pivotal element in enhancing health outcomes. Grounded in evidence-based research, it has been established that images of serene landscapes, gentle waters, and vibrant gardens not only soothe the soul but significantly accelerate the healing process.
Reference: Ulrich, R. (2009). “Effects of Viewing Art on Health Outcomes”, Putting Patients First (Chapter 7, pp. 129-149). Josey-Bass, a Wiley Imprint. [PDF]
If you have any questions about healing art photography, or how nature and nature art can positive impact medical outcomes, please contact me with your questions and comments.
RESEARCH LIBRARY
How Do Patients Actually Experience and Use Art in Hospitals? The Significance of Interaction: a User-Oriented Experimental Case Study
Stine Nielsen, Lars Fich, Kirsten Roessler, and Michael Mullins; International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, Volume 12, Issue 1, 1267343 | January 2017
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5328392/
The question initially raised by the study was “How do patients experience and use art in a natural hospital environment to the extent that they experience or use it at all?”. The study shows that art contributes to creating an environment and atmosphere where patients can feel safe, socialize, maintain a connection to the world outside the hospital and support their identity. It concludes that the presence of visual art in hospitals contributes to health outcomes by improving patient satisfaction as an extended form of health care. Studies in the effects of visual art on health outcomes have generally employed theories drawn from the fields of psychology and biology. This article approaches the question of the effects of artworks on patient satisfaction primarily from an anthropological point of view.
The Therapeutic Impacts of Environmental Design Interventions on Wellness in Clinical Settings: A Narrative Review
Timothy Iyendo, Patrick Uwajeh, and Ezennia Ikenna; Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Volume 24, Pages 174-188 | August 2016
The aim of this review is to document the role of physical environmental factors in clinical environments and their impact on patients and staff wellness with a particular focus on physical and mental healthcare. Incorporating physical environmental factors into hospital design can facilitate better user satisfaction, efficiency and organisational outcomes. Many of the design interventions convey positive distractions for patients and staff, in terms of views of pleasant outside vistas, soothing sound, artwork and music. Well-designed physical settings play an important role in the healing process of patients in health care facilities (reducing stressful conditions, enhancing privacy, comfort, and overall health care quality).
Healthcare professionals’ perceptions of the value and impact of the arts in healthcare settings: A critical review of the literature.
Ceri Wilson, Hilary Bungay, Carol Munn-Giddings, and Melanie Boyce; International Journal of Nursing Studies, Volume 56, Pages 90-101|April 2016
This review fills a gap in the literature, providing the first review of healthcare professional’s views of the arts in healthcare settings and the impact of arts activities on healthcare staff. It was found that the majority of staff believed that engaging in arts interventions has a positive impact on patients’ health and well-being. The findings suggest that arts interventions are perceived to have an impact on patients’ stress, mood, pain levels, and sleep. Furthermore, staff believed that the arts can enhance communication between staff and patients, helping to build rapport and strengthen interactions. The majority of reported staff outcomes were positive, with arts activities in healthcare settings found to: decrease stress, improve mood, improve job performance, reduce burnout, improve patient/staff relationships, improve the working environment and improve well-being.
Stress Reduction in the Hospital Room: Applying Ulrich’s Theory of Supportive Design
Cláudia Andrade and Ann Devlin; Journal of Environmental Psychology, Volume 41, Pages 125-134 | March 2015
Hospital rooms may exacerbate or reduce patients’ stress. According to Ulrich’s (1991) theory of supportive design, the hospital environment will reduce stress if it fosters perceptions of control (PC), social support (SS), and positive distraction (PD). An experimental study was conducted to test this theory. Participants were asked to imagine a hospitalization scenario and were exposed to one of 8 lists of elements that the hospital room would provide selected to facilitate PC, SS, PD, or 1 of all the possible combinations of these elements. Results confirmed Ulrich’s theory. Room elements affect perception of control, social support, and positive distraction. A greater number of elements in the room reduce expected stress. Only social support and positive distraction predict expected stress- reduction.
Room for Caring: Patients’ Experiences of Well-Being, Relief and Hope during Serious Illness
Connie Timmermann, Lisbeth Uhrenfeldt, and Regner Birkelund; Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, Volume 29, Issue 3, Pages 426–434 | April 2014
The findings highlight aesthetic sensory impressions in the form of nature sights and natural light in the patient room as a powerful source of well-being, relief and hope for the patients during serious illness. Three themes were identified: (i) Experiencing inner peace and an escape from negative thoughts, (ii) Experiencing a positive mood and hope and (iii) Experiencing good memories. Therefore, these sensory impressions should be thought of as holding palliative potential and should be included as a part of caring for the seriously ill patients.
A Palliative Environment: Caring for Seriously Ill Hospitalized Patients
Connie Timmermann, Lisbeth Uhrenfeldt, Mette Terp Høybye, and Regner Birkelund; Palliative and Supportive Care, Volume 13, Issue 2, Pages 1-9 | February 2014
The results stress the importance of an aesthetically pleasing and homelike hospital environment as part of palliative care, since the aesthetic practice and a sense of homeliness strengthened patients’ experiences of well-being, relief, and positive emotions while in a vulnerable situation. Such knowledge could encourage the development of new policies regarding appropriate care settings, which in turn could result in overall improved care during serious illness.
Healthcare Providers’ Perception of Design Factors Related to Physical Environments in Hospitals
Monjur Mourshed and Yisong Zhao; Journal of Environmental Psychology, Volume 32, Issue 4, Pages 362-370 | December 2012
Research indicates that staff wellbeing, productivity and satisfaction are linked with a hospital’s physical environment. Past research on physical environments in hospitals focused mostly on user satisfaction and was linked with service delivery in a specific setting. Research findings seldom provided useful insights into user perspectives on design related aspects that had the potential to affect their interaction with the environment. This research was aimed at filling this gap by exploring healthcare providers’ perception of physical environment design factors in hospitals. ‘Cleanliness and ease of maintenance’ was ranked as the most important design factor. Female respondents considered sensory environment factors more important than males. Working pattern is associated with maintenance and environmental design factors. Subjective design factors were ranked lower than those related to service delivery.
Pictorial Intervention in a Pediatric Hospital Environment: Effects on Parental Affective Perception of the Unit
Fiorella Montia, Francesca Agostinia, Sara Dellabartola, Erica Neria, Laura Bozicevica, and Mauro Pocecco; Journal of Environmental Psychology, Volume 32, Issue 3, Pages 216-224 | September 2012 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494412000230
During child admission, hospital environment can be stressful also for the parents. A pictorial humanization characterized by natural landscapes with cartoon characters was realized in a Pediatric Unit for chronic and acute illness. Parental perceptions of the Unit were collected before and after the intervention. Results revealed that the parental affective perception of the hospital environment significantly improved after the pictorial intervention. These effects were evident independently from child’s age and illness severity. Data suggest that the pictorial intervention represents a useful technique to create more welcoming hospital environments, reducing the negative affective perception of the unit in parents facing the stress of their child’s hospitalization.
Impact of Visual Art on Patient Behavior in the Emergency Department Waiting Room
Upali Nanda, Cheryl Chanaud, Michael Nelson, Robyn Bajema, and Ben H. Jansen; The Journal of Emergency Medicine, Volume 43, Issue 1, Pages 172–181 | February 2012
This study showed that visual art has positive effects on the ED waiting experience. Significant reduction in restlessness, noise level, and people staring at other people in the room was found at both sites. A significant decrease in the number of queries made at the front desk and a significant increase in social interaction were found at one of the sites.
Visual Art in Hospitals: Case Studies and Review of the Evidence
Louise Lankston, Pearce Cusack, Chris Fremantle, and Chris Isles; Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, Volume 103, Issue 12, Pages 490–499| December 2010
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2996524/
Visual art in hospitals can provide medical benefits to patients, but that the quality of the evidence is not uniformly high. Effects may be mediated by psychological responses to colour hue, brightness and saturation. Colours that elicit high levels of pleasure with low levels of arousal are most likely to induce a state of calm, while those causing displeasure and high levels of arousal may provoke anxiety. The fact that patients frequently express a preference for landscape and nature scenes is consistent with this observation and with evolutionary psychological theories which predict positive emotional responses to flourishing natural environments. If art is considered an integral part of hospital design, as in the hospitals we studied, this will maximize these benefits. Contrary to a view which may prevail among some contemporary artists, patients who are ill or stressed about their health may not always be comforted by abstract art, preferring the positive distraction and state of calm created by the blues and greens of landscape and nature scenes instead.
The Stress-Reducing Effects of Art in Pediatric Health Care: Art Preferences of Healthy Children and Hospitalized Children
Sarajane L. Eisen, Roger S. Ulrich, Mardelle M. Shepley, James W. Varni, and Sandra Sherman; Journal of Child Health Care, Volume 12, Issue 3, Pages 173-90 | October 2008
Art is assumed to possess therapeutic benefits of healing for children, as part of patient-focused design in health care. Since the psychological and physiological well-being of children in health care settings is extremely important in contributing to the healing process, it is vitally important to identify what type of art supports stress reduction. Based on adult studies, nature art was anticipated to be the most preferred and to have stress-reducing effects on pediatric patients. Nature art refers to art images dominated by natural vegetation, flowers or water. The objective of this study was to investigate what type of art image children prefer, and what type of art image has potentially stress-reducing effects on children in hospitals.
A Review of the Research Literature on Evidence-Based Healthcare Design
Roger S. Ulrich, Craig Zimring, Xuemei Zhu, Jennifer DuBose, Hyun-Bo Seo, Young-Seon Choi, Xiaobo Quan, and Anjali Joseph; Health Environments Research & Design Journal, Volume 1, Issue 3, Pages 61-125 | September 2008
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/49686913_A_Review_of_the_Research_Literature_on_Ev idence-Based_Healthcare_Design
This review found a growing body of rigorous studies to guide healthcare design, especially with respect to reducing the frequency of hospital-acquired infections. Results are organized according to three general types of outcomes: patient safety, other patient outcomes, and staff outcomes. The findings further support the importance of improving outcomes for a range of design characteristics or interventions, including single-bed rooms rather than multibed rooms, effective ventilation systems, a good acoustic environment, nature distractions and daylight, appropriate lighting, better ergonomic design, acuity-adaptable rooms, and improved floor layouts and work settings. The evidence indicates that well-designed physical settings play an important role in making hospitals safer and more healing for patients, and better places for staff to work.
The Impact of Art, Design and Environment in Mental Healthcare: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Norma Daykin, Ellie Byrne, Tony Soteriou, and Susan O’Connor; Perspectives in Public Health, Volume 128, Issue 2, Pages 85-94 | March 2008
The largest number of studies focused on the aspects of art, design and environment that were relevant to mental healthcare. These studies suggest that this can affect health, including physiological, psychological, clinical and behavioural effects. Exposure to stressful visual and aural environments may reduce levels of stress and enhance recovery. Architectural design consideration is important in mental health settings, especially for patients with conditions such as dementia that can make wayfinding difficult. Exposure to art in healthcare environments has been found to reduce anxiety and depression. Environment features have also been found to affect staff, and improvements in visual and acoustic conditions may reduce risks of errors in some care settings. A key issue to emerge from this study is that arts interventions do not necessarily address the lack of control exercised by patients in healthcare environments. This review found evidence that environmental enhancements can have a positive impact on health and well-being of staff and patients in mental healthcare. Arts, when considered within this framework of evidence-based design, can also contribute to well-being, offering reassurance and creating identity in healthcare settings.
Pain in its Environmental Context: Implications for Designing Environments to Enhance
Pain Control
Sara Malenbaum, Francis J. Keefe, Amanda Williams, Roger Ulrich, and Tamara J. Somers; Pain, Volume 134, Issue 3, Pages 241–244 | February 2008
Interventions involving light, nature, and video and VR presentations appear to provide benefit for
patients experiencing pain. The synergistic applications of these factors should be examined. Would greater pain reductions result if a patient could view an outdoor landscape from his hospital bed, while listening to his favorite music? Medical environments might involve computer generated nature scenes or art images projected on the walls of patients’ hospital rooms, perhaps combined with background music of the patient’s choice. Patient-generated decorations would make for environments that are more engaging than average hospital rooms. Research should attempt to determine the most effective environment for a person’s pain reduction, and then find a way to program it. There is great promise for increased pain control and decreased patient suffering by combining conventional pain management with environmental alterations.
A Guide to Evidence-Based Art
Kathy Hathorn and Upali Nanda; A Position Paper for The Center for Health Design’s Environmental Standards Council | 2008
https://www.healthdesign.org/system/files/Hathorn_Nanda_Mar08.pdf
The study concluded that satisfaction with the hospital environment is an important part of service quality. The physical environment is not a mere backdrop for healthcare delivery—it is an integral part of the hospital experience. Clearly, this study deals with art only as a response item of those participants to whom it was a significant part of the environment, but it makes a case for the importance of artwork and the need to invest in studies that can isolate the role of art in improving healthcare quality. In this paper, authors explore the different levels at which art can improve the quality of healthcare, share experiences of creating effective art programs, and outline guidelines for incorporating appropriate art programs in healthcare settings./sep
Why Not Ask the Patient? An Evaluation of the Aesthetic Surroundings in Hospitals by Patients Synnøve Caspari, Dagfinn Nåden, and Katie Eriksson
Quality Management in Health Care, Volume 16, Issue 3, Pages 280–292 | July/September 2007
Patients were asked to give their opinion on the aesthetics (paintings, pictures, tapestries, sculptures, decorations, mosaic works and water decorations, fountains, etc.) in the hospital environment and the influence aesthetics might have on health and wellness. The results in general showed that aesthetic surroundings are important for health and wellness, according to the patients’ opinion. The aesthetics in the hospital environment was evaluated and generally considered to be less than satisfactory by the patients. It can be concluded that according to the patient experiences, the aesthetic area is a neglected field, and it is important to focus more on this field to understand what high-quality patient care should embrace.
The Environment’s Impact on Stress
Roger S. Ulrich, Craig Zimring, Xiaobo Quan, and Anjali Joseph Zimring; Chapter 3 in Marberry, S. O. (Ed.), Improving Healthcare with Better Building Design, Chicago: ACHE Management Series/Health Administration Press, Pages 37-61 | 2006
Health care settings represent a unique built environment because their primary function is maintaining and restoring health. In health care settings, patients, staff, visitors, and even community members may all be affected by design. Design features of health care institutions such as improved indoor air quality, gardens, emotionally positive art and natural daylighting may promote health. Some features offer direct benefits to patients, and some operate indirectly, for example, by reducing medical errors.
Role of the Physical Environment in the Hospital of the 21st Century: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity
Roger S. Ulrich, Craig Zimring, Xiaobo Quan, Anjali Joseph, and Ruchi Choudhary; The Center for Health Design | 2004
http://document.chalmers.se/download?docid=49cc375f-96f1-4e86-97fb-c74882991eed
The research team found rigorous studies that link the physical environment to patient and staff outcomes in four areas: 1. Reduce staff stress and fatigue and increase effectiveness in delivering care; 2. Improve patient safety; 3. Reduce stress and improve outcomes; and 4. Improve overall healthcare quality.
Healing Arts: Nutrition for the Soul
Roger S. Ulrich and Laura Gilpin; Putting Patients First: Designing and Practicing Patient-Centered Care, San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons | 2003
Studies show that patient hospital stays are shorter, they rate perceived pain lower, intake less pain medication, and their blood pressure and heart rate is improved when surrounded by representational art, particularly art with people and nature themes. In contrast, abstract art or art that is open to interpretation is often rated low in patient interviews and can aggravate patient stress and worsen outcomes. Patients deemed art as suitable for patient rooms if it depicted persons who displayed emotionally positive facial expressions and caring or friendly gestures and body language in nature spaces such as gardens. For patients who need to take their mind off of things, including people and stories within artwork can offer a simple retreat when actually escaping the situation is not a possibility
Paediatric Emergency Department Design: Does it Affect Staff, Patient and Community Satisfaction?
Simon Judkins; Emergency Medicine, Volume 15, Issue 1, Pages 63-67 | 2003
The change in the physical environment in which we treat our paediatric emergencies seems to enhance the level of satisfaction of attendees. Staff appear to be more confident when dealing with these patients in a dedicated paediatric area.
The Effect of a Wall Mural on Decreasing Four Types of Door-Testing Behaviors
C. Kincaid and J. Peacock; Journal of Applied Gerontology, Volume 22, Issue 1, Pages 76- 88 | 2003 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0733464802250046
This study examined the effect that a wall mural painted over an exit door had on decreasing door- testing behaviors of residents with dementia. The frequency of four types of door-testing behaviors before and after the wall mural installation was explored. A significant decrease in overall door-testing behavior and a significant decrease in two of four distinct behavior types occurred. The findings support the idea that by disguising the door with a wall mural, door-testing behaviors are reduced. Wall murals can be an effective way of cueing residents away from a situation that may evoke agitation and a situation of potential harm and litigation.
Health Care Environments and Patient Outcomes: A Review of the Literature
Ann Sloan Devlin and Allison B. Arneill; Environment & Behavior, Volume 35, Issue 5, Pages 665-694 | 2003
This review of the literature on health care environments and patient outcomes considers three research themes: patient involvement with health care (e.g., the role of patient control), the impact of the ambient environment (e.g., sound, light, art), and the emergence of specialized building types for defined populations (e.g., Alzheimer’s patients).
Distraction Therapy with Nature Sights and Sounds Reduces Pain during Flexible Bronchoscopy: A Complementary Approach to Routine Analgesia
Gregory B. Diette, Noah Lechtzin, Edward Haponik, Aline Devrotes, and Haya R. Rubin; Chest, Volume 123, Issue 3, Pages 941-948 | March 2003
The Effect of Visual Stimuli on Pain Threshold and Tolerance
Mimi M. Y. Tse, Jacobus K. F. Ng, Joanne W. Y. Chung, and Thomas K. S. Wong; Journal of Clinical Nursing, Volume 11, Issue 4, Pages 462–469 | July 2002
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12100642
For many hospital patients, the experience brings pain and anxiety. Unfamiliar surroundings, various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and the sight and sounds of medical procedures exacerbate pain and anxiety. This study suggests that including a simple visual art intervention, that is carefully selected based on best available evidence, can not only impact patient (and visitor) behavior, but also the overall healthcare experience.
The Effects of Visual and Performing Arts in Health Care
Dr Rosalia Staricoff, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital | 2001
http://www.healthysocialcreative.org.uk/index.php/the-effects-of-visual-and-performing-arts-in- health-care/
The results demonstrated that integrating visual and performing arts into healthcare settings reduces the amount of drugs consumed, shortens lengths of stay in hospital, improves patient management, contributes towards increased job satisfaction and enhances the quality of service.
The Arts of Healing
M. J. Friedrich; Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) | May 19, 1999
This essay showed that psychologically appropriate art substantially affects such patient outcomes as high blood pressure, anxiety, intake of pain medication, and length of hospital stay. In particular, representational nature art was shown to have a beneficial effect on patients experiencing stress and anxiety.
Creativity and the Arts in Health Care Settings
Anne Ridenour; Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) | February 4, 1998
“Art helps children forget that they are ill while being in a strange place that otherwise might be frightening. Art connects children to delight and discovery and brings back some of the experiences of being a child, not just a sick child.”
Distraction therapy with nature sights and sounds significantly reduces pain in patients undergoing FB. Although the precise mechanism of this beneficial effect requires further investigation, clinicians should consider this nonintrusive strategy in addition to standard analgesic medications in patients undergoing painful, invasive procedures.
Modifying Quiet Room Design Enhances Calming of Children and Adolescents
Carol A. Glod, Martin H. Teicher, Martha Butler, Margaret Savino, David Harper, Eleanor Magnus, and Kambiz Pahlavan; Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Volume 33, Issue 4, Pages 558-566 | May 1994
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/08908567/33/4
The objective was to determine whether altering design of a quiet room (QR) produced more rapid calming of agitated or aggressive hospitalized children. Total aggression ratings were 45% lower in the modified QR than in the standard QR, and initial aggression scores fell by 50% during 5 minutes of placement in the modified QR, but only after 20 minutes of placement in the standard QR. Motor excitement and verbal aggression were the two component factors most strongly influenced by QR design. This preliminary report suggests that it may be possible to modify QRs to facilitate calming of aggressive, agitated children and provides preliminary support for redesign of QRs.
Effects of exposure to nature and abstract pictures on patients recovering from heart surgery
Roger S. Ulrich, O. Lundén, O., and J. L. Eltinge; Paper presented at the 33rd Meetings of the Society for Psychophysiological Research | 1993
This study showed evidence that representational nature art or pictures reduce stress and pain in a manner similar to the effects of real nature views. For example, heart surgery patients who were assigned a picture showing a lake and trees experienced less stress and anxiety and required fewer doses of strong pain drugs than similar patients assigned to a control group with no picture. However, patients assigned an abstract picture were significantly more stressed than the control group.
Design That Cares: Planning Health Facilities for Patients and Visitors
2nd Edition Janet Reizenstein and Myron A. Grant; Chicago: American Hospital Publishing | 1993
The authors obtained art preference data from a diverse sample of 300 inpatients and found consistently high preference for representational nature images but strong dislike for abstract art.
Effects of Interior Design on Wellness: Theory and Recent Scientific Research
Roger S. Ulrich; Journal of Health Care Interior Design, Volume 3, Pages 97-109 | 1991 http://www.academia.edu/2459820/Effects_of_interior_design_on_wellness_theory_and_recent_scientific_research
To promote wellness, healthcare facilities should be designed to support patients in coping with stress. As general compass points for designers, scientific research suggests that healthcare environments will support coping with stress and promote wellness if they are designed to foster: 1. Sense of control; 2. Access to social support; 3. Access to positive distractions, and lack of exposure to negative distractions. A growing amount of scientific evidence suggests that nature elements or views can be effective as stress-reducing, positive distractions that promote wellness in healthcare environments.
View through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery
Roger S. Ulrich; Science, Volume 224 | April 1984
This study found that post-surgical patients with a view of trees in full foliage versus patients with a view of a brick wall had shorter post-operative hospital stays, required less medication, and experienced few post-surgical complications.
Additional References
- Arts Council England (2007) A Prospectus for Arts and Health, London: Arts Council England
- Arts Council England (2006) The Power of Art: Visual Arts, Evidence of Impact, Regeneration, Health, Education and Learning, London: Arts Council England
- Arts Council England (2007) The Arts, Health and Wellbeing, London: Arts Council England
- Carrington, S. (2012) ‘Making Room for the Unexpected: Some Approaches and Challenges to Commissioning at the Royal London Hospital’, Engage: The International Journal of Visual Art and Gallery Education, 30: 108-118
- Cusack, P., Lankston, L. & Isles, C. (2010) ‘Impact of Visual Art in Patient Waiting Rooms: Survey of Patients Attending a Transplant Clinic in Dumfries’, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1.6: 1-5
- Cutler, D. (2012) Tackling Loneliness in Older Age – The Role of the Arts, The Baring Foundation Domke, Henry M.D. (2009) Picture of Health – Handbook for Healthcare Art; New Bloomfield, MO: Henry Domke Fine Art.
- Lheman, M. (2011) ‘Art in Healthcare’, Healthcare Design Magazine
- Nanda, U., Eisen S., Zadeh, R.S. & Owen, D. (2011) ‘Effect of Visual Art on Patient Anxiety and Agitation in a Mental Health Facility and Implications for the Business Case’, Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 18: 386-393
- National Alliance for Arts, Health and Wellbeing (2012) ‘A Charter for Arts, Health and Wellbeing’, National Alliance for Arts Health and Wellbeing
- Noble, G. (2012) ‘Extreme Drama: Challenging Hospital Art’, Engage: The International Journal of Visual Art and Gallery Education, 30: 48-57
- O’Shea, E., Leíme, E.N. (2012) ‘The Impact of the Bealtaine Arts Programme on the Quality of Life, Wellbeing and Social Interaction of Older People in Ireland’, Ageing and Society 32.5: 851-72
- Parr, H. (2005) ‘The Arts and Mental Health: Creativity and Inclusion’, Economic and Social Research Council
- Sandler, B. & Ridenour A. (2009) Transforming the Healthcare Experience Through the Arts; Aesthetics, Inc., San Diego, California
- Secker, J., Hacking, S., Spandler, H., Kent, L. & Shenton, J. (2007) Mental Health, Social Inclusion and the Arts: Developing the Evidence Base, Anglia Ruskin/UCLan Research Team
- Staricoff, R. L. (2004) Arts in Health: A Review of the Medical Literature, London: Arts Council England
Research Trends
“Healing Power of Photographic Art” by Christian Morrow, Byron News, February 2018
“Art Show Brings Outdoors In for McKee Medical Center Patients” by Michelle Vendegna, ReporterHerald.com, June 2017
“Art Galleries at Baptist Help Patients and Families” by Kathy Norcross Watts, JournalNow.com, January 2017
“Arts Content: Jacobs Medical Center Captures Curative Power of Creativity” by Jackie Carr and Scott LaFee, UC San Diego Health, December 2016
“Healing Arts in Hospitals Today” by Ellen C. Caldwell, JSTOR Daily, October 2016
“Why Some Big-Time Art Donors Increasingly Give to the “Little Guys” by Mike Scutari, Inside Philanthropy, November 2015
“Art Donors Give to Smaller Nonprofits” by Daniel Grant, The Wall Street Journal, November 2015
“Art, in Healthcare, is An Integral Part of The Design Plan” by Barbara Markoff, The Healing Power of Art & Artists, June 2015
“Can Cheerful Decor Help Kids Heal? A London Hospital Recruited Designers to Test It Out.” The Eye, February 2015
“Art does heal: Scientists say appreciating creative works can fight off disease.” The Telegraph, February 2015
Read this great article on the trend in hospital art today. We think that art does heal and that our beautiful photos do have a place in healthcare facilities! “The Healing Power of Art: Can Hospital Collections Help?” NBC NEWS, September 2014
Hospitals are giving artwork a higher priority. “More Hospitals Use the Healing Powers of Public Art“ The Wall Street Journal, August 2014
“Art, when appropriately selected and placed, has durability. It engages the viewers, transports them, delights and amuses them, calms and reassures them, day after day.” Art in Healthcare, Healthcare Design Magazine, December 2011
“Picture of Health – Handbook for Healthcare Art” by Henry Domke, M.D. This 217-page hard bound book includes interviews from designers and leaders in the healthcare field, the latest research on evidence-based design, expert tips on framing, art budget issues, and other subjects that touch on the field of art in healthcare. If you are interested in the book, it can be downloaded for free from the website: www.henrydomke.com, August 2009
“Putting Patients First – the essential healthcare art book” http://www.healthcarefineart.com, February 2009
“The Future of Healthcare Environments and Evidence Based Design (EBD). . . chances are that each of us will probably experience some time spent in a clinic, waiting room, hospital, patient room, or wellness center. . .
As designers, architects and healthcare providers plan for the future they are constantly researching the newest information available to enhance the “healing environment”. At the same time clinics, hospitals and healthcare facilities are striving to create spaces that will comfort and enhance the surroundings of their patients and families.
Evidence Based Design (EBD) has proven to be a key in the partnership between concept, design and creating the “healing environment”. The core of EBD links research and design so that informed design decisions can be made in the planning process. Currently, artwork and/or photographs may become a focal point when designing patient and public areas and consideration needs to be given when selecting the image, content and color.
Great strides are being made in healthcare and creating the “healing environment”. “Exploring Healthcare and Design” published by The Center for Health Design 2008
Last month’s launch of the government’s Report of the Review of Arts and Health Working Group strongly endorsed the fundamental role that the arts performs in the promotion of well-being and improvement of patient outcomes. Recognizing that the arts in health can deliver “real and measurable benefits”, the report met the high expectations of NHS arts coordinators, artists, arts therapists, clinicians, architects and designers, by backing a movement that has, arguably, been marginalised on the edges of patient care for too long. “Making the Case” by Marc Sansom, Hospital Development Magazine, May 2007
“Beyond traditional treatment: Establishing art as therapy” by Elaine Poggi,Healthcare Design Magazine, November 2006
Just 20 years ago hospitals looked very different. They were sterile environments focused on promoting cure rather than fostering care. In the last two decades hospitals have transformed and become “Health-Care” environments in the truest sense, where the role of the environment on healing has been investigated, appreciated and enhanced. Within this changing climate the role of art has been significant. Art has been used to enhance the quality of care by positively impacting patient, staff and family perceptions. Today, almost every hospital invests in Art-programs, because we now have research to show that not only can Art improve the image of the hospital, but it can, in fact, aid in healing. “Current Research in Evidence-Based Art Programs” by Kathy Hathorn, President,American Art Resources, November 2006
“Oltre le cure tradizionali… l’arte come terapia” GOIRC NEWS, November 2005
Based on research, there are several design innovations that every hospital involved in a building project should undertake immediately…provide positive distractions through appropriate art, restful views and access to nature, thus relieving unnecessary stress and improving patient satisfaction. “No Opportunity Wasted: The Case for Building Better Hospitals is Stronger Than Ever,” Interiors & Sources, January/February 2005
A meta-study has found that quiet, single-patient rooms with ventilation, good lighting and nature images significantly improve outcomes. “The Evidence on Evidence-Based Design,” Hospitals & Health Networks Online, January 2005
Experts find that relaxing pictures, colors and lighting are good medicine for patients and staff. “Hospitals go for a less clinical look,” The Detroit News, January 2005
Strong studies…have produced additional convincing evidence that viewing nature reduces patient pain as well as stress. These investigations also support the interpretation that nature serves as a positive distraction that reduces stress and diverts patients from focusing on their pain or distress… A small number of studies on art in hospitals has yielded findings parallel to those from nature research. Results suggest a consistent pattern wherein the great majority of patients respond positively to representational nature art, but many react negatively to chaotic abstract art. Although nature pictures and other emotionally appropriate art elicit positive reactions, there is also evidence that inappropriate art styles or image subject matter can increase stress and worsen other outcomes. It should not be expected that all art is suitable for high-stress healthcare spaces, as art varies enormously in subject matter and style, and much art is emotionally challenging or provocative. “The Role of the Physical Environment in the Hospital of the 21st Century” by Roger Ulrich and Craig Zimring, The Center for Health Design, September 2004
If there is one universal truth about hospitals, it is that they are drab, dismal places, not at all designed to soothe and heal… But a few architects and designers are working to change hospitals by humanizing their design, a concept that is slowly gaining influence in Europe and the United States. The idea is obvious: Build inviting, soothing hospitals, graced with soft lighting, inspiring views, curved corridors, relaxing gardens and lots of art, and patients will heal quicker, nurses will remain loyal to their employers and doctors will perform better. The environment of a hospital contributes to the therapy of the patients. People are mentally vulnerable when they come in and if they are beaten down by an awful, dreadful, concrete, uninteresting, poor building with poor colors, it makes them even worse. “Design as part of health care,” International Herald Tribune, September 2004
Research shows that even little touches can have a substantial impact. Patients, for example, feel and do better if the hospital offers pleasant distractions such as soothing artwork on the walls…“Healthy Design” Lancet, July 31, 2004
Patients with nature images have less anxiety and require fewer strong pain medication doses. However, too much stimulation will have the negative impact of raising anxiety levels. Abstract art may contribute to less favorable recovery outcomes than viewing no pictures at all and is consistently disliked by patients. All visual art (paintings, prints, photographs) displayed in patient areas should have unambiguously positive subject matter and convey a sense of security or safety. When selecting art for stressed patients, Ulrich suggests the following characteristics should be avoided: ambiguity or uncertainty; emotionally negative or provocative subject matter; surreal qualities; closely spaced repeating edges; forms that are optically unstable or appear to move; restricted depth or claustrophobic-like qualities; close-up animals staring directly at the viewer; and outdoor scenes with overcast or foreboding weather. Most pictures selected should depict landscapes during warmer seasons when vegetation is verdant and flowers may be visible; avoid landscapes conveying bleakness; include scenes with positive cultural artifacts, such as barns and older house, and garden scenes with some openness in the immediate foreground. “Healing Spaces: Elements of Environmental Design That Make an Impact on Health”, by M. Schweitzer, L. Gilpin, and S. Frampton. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2004
Anche i luoghi di cura cambiano e diventano piu’ allegri. Perche’ in un ambiente gradevole la guarigione e’ piu’ rapida e certa. Oggi la medicina dovrebbe non solo curare i sintomi del male, ma promuovere il benessere. Fisico e psichico. Dipinti, decorazioni e colori sono un piccolo investimento di grande aiuto alla terapia. “L’Ospedale Colorato,” by Vittorino Andreoli. Io Donna, February 2003
Providing patients, families and staff with access to nature by providing indoor and outdoor gardens, views of nature through windows, and artwork of nature scenes can relieve stress, “Healing arts – nutrition for the soul,” by R. Ulrich and L. Gilpin.Putting Patients First, 2003
More hospital leaders are realizing that a pleasant, efficient environment reduces costs and improves care… Positive distractions, such as artwork, music, daylight, and water sounds, are built into the environment to help reduce stress. “A Better Place to Heal,” Health Forum Journal, July/August 2002
The research findings of Roger Ulrich, PhD indicate that psychologically appropriate art can substantially affect outcomes such as blood pressure, anxiety, intake of pain medication, and length of hospital stay. In particular, representational nature art is shown to have a beneficial effect on patients experiencing stress and anxiety. “The Arts of Healing,” The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), May 19, 1999, Vol.281, No.19
