“Healing: The Transformative Imagery of Art” opens at the Great Hall

The last time you were sick, what made you feel better? Snuggling under a warm handmade quilt? Looking at a beautiful landscape? Focusing on a soothing image to calm and center your mind? As part of its 105th anniversary celebration, Springfield Hospital is exploring the powerful effects of art on health.

www.vermontjournal.com


The exhibition features the following artists:

Painters:
Robert O’Brien, Springfield, VT
Cai Xi Silver, Brattleboro, VT
Robert Carsten, Springfield, VT

Sculpture:
Pat Musick, Manchester, VT
Carolyn Enz Hack, E. Thetford, VT
Mary Admasian, Montpelier, VT
Margaret Jacobs-Enfield, NH

Tiles, Ceramic Wall Art:
Natalie Blake, Brattleboro, VT

Stained Glass:
Karen Deets, Fair Haven, VT

Blown Glass:
Robert DuGrenier, Townshend, VT

Fiber:
Priscilla Petraska, Chester, VT
Neomi Lauritsen, Springfield, VT

(Painting shown at the top of this post is by Cai Xi Silver.)

“Healing: The Transformative Imagery of Art” opens at the Great Hall BY KAREN ENGDAHL, The ShopperOctober 2, 2018 SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – The last time you were sick, what made you feel better? Snuggling under a warm handmade quilt? Looking at a beautiful landscape? Focusing on a soothing image to calm and center your mind? As part of its 105th anniversary celebration, Springfield Hospital is exploring the powerful effects of art on health. Featuring a dozen artists working in paint, sculpture, glass, fiber, and mixed media, “Healing: The Transformative Imagery of Art” opened with a gala reception in the Great Hall Thursday, Sept. 27. The exhibit, which runs through March 30, 2019, is co-sponsored by Springfield Regional Development Corp. Reception-goers were quick to respond to the variety of healing images. Gwynna Taylor of Springfield immediately pointed to a series of mixed-media pieces depicting trees in the fall by Pat Musick of Manchester Center, Vt. “Such beautiful, calming images,” said Taylor. “I wish I could take them all home!” Musick, whose piece is called “The Instant of it All,” describes the work as “…about the aging process, using Fall Vermont trees as a metaphor. As the tree loses its outer garment over time, so do we humans change in our appearance, yet our heart and soul, like the inner trunk and roots remain strong and vibrant. The trees are not rooted to the ground however, they levitate somewhere between earth and heaven. They are a meditation.” Across the gallery hang two colorful quilts crafted by Priscilla Petraska and Neomi Lauritsen. When asked how her quilt related to the notion of health, Petraska quickly smiled and explained, “When I’m quilting, I can relax. The process gives me a chance to slow down – it gives me time to think.” Lauritsen echoed these sentiments. “Quilts provide comfort,” she said, “and quilting itself is a comfort. No matter which quilt you see, you know that in it are tears as well as moments of joy.” Other images in the exhibit ranged from representational still lifes and landscapes to more abstract sculptures and glass pieces, which viewers enjoyed as they partook of seasonal snacks and Trout River craft beer. “All the art is beautiful and very powerful,” said Edie Brown of Chester. “It really lifts my spirits.” For more information about the exhibit, visit www.facebook.com/GreatHallSpringfield.