SSM/St. Louis University Hospital
These twelve custom wood wall sculptures were created for the brand new (Fall, 2020), $550M, 800,000 square-foot SSM/St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. They are part of an overall design cued from the flora of the nearby Missouri Botanical Gardens. As such, each floor was designed around a flower. This brought harmony to each floor’s overall aesthetic and helps with “wayfinding” - using imagery to help people “find their way” in places like large buildings and parking lots. In this prestigious project, I worked with an art agent - P/S Art Consulting - who expertly coordinated art-related proposals, presentations, quotations, approvals, delivery, and installation of all the art. All the sculptures I created are made from sustainably-forested wood and are sealed for a sanitary medical environment. Contact me to discuss your project!
The Creative Process
Overall Project Photos
Artist’s Statement for This Project
I was very excited to hear of SSM Health’s decision “to construct a new hospital and outpatient center that incorporates national best practices in patient-centered design while delivering an improved patient experience.”* The whole announcement is fantastic, but what captured my attention most was the desire to create a “patient-centered design while delivering an improved patient experience.” What an opportunity to create art for beautiful and noble purposes!
I was equally pleased to discover that the overarching aesthetic cue for the building’s art would be the flora of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. This cue combined with SSM Health’s goals fit perfectly with my expertise creating wall sculpture using sustainably-forested wood and water-based color. To me, combining these things to create art for an “improved patient experience” simply reflects part of The Master Artisan’s original intent for His own creative efforts way back in Genesis 2:9, “And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food” (emphasis added). What wonder! And what aesthetic generosity and care is displayed in this idea that the first trees were created, at least in part, to bring human beings pleasure. How’s that for an “improved patient experience?!”
So, I set about my artistic work with a joyful heart, sculpturally interpreting the magnificent hues and shapes of day lilies, irises, roses, tulips, daffodils, and azaleas. My heartfelt desire is that these artworks will, indeed, “improve patient experiences” as a tiny reflection of The Master Aristan’s desire to beautify our lives with what He has made that is so “pleasant to the sight.”