Hard to believe, but there was a time when hospital walls were mostly uninspiring white space.
That was before the Foundation for Hospital Art began splashing them with color.
For the past 36 years, this metro Atlanta nonprofit has donated more than 49,000 volunteer-painted murals to 7,500 hospitals in 195 countries.
Credit: Phil Skinner
Credit: Phil Skinner
It all started when John Feight, an Atlanta ad executive and self-taught artist, began painting murals in area hospitals to brighten up the walls. He wanted to give patients something stimulating to look at that might affect their healing.
“We knew that art could be of value; it could help somebody if we put it in front of them,” Feight said.
Once, while he was fleshing out a hallway jungle scene at Northside Hospital, a 4-year-old girl with burns from a car explosion came out of her room and asked to paint.
Feight learned a lesson that day: “People are precious and not the art,” he said.
“The little girl made me give it up, and artists usually don’t want to relinquish control of what they are creating,” Feight said. “It was more important than something on that wall, if it would take them away from their pain.”
After that, Feight began putting brushes into the hands of anyone who wanted to help.
Through the years, the foundation has had thousands of people worldwide participate in painting events to create hospital murals.
Murals are now designed on large panels and painted off-site. These panels first go back to the foundation’s Woodstock studio for a touch-up before being shipped to hospitals.
Credit: Phil Skinner
Credit: Phil Skinner
Long-time volunteer Marcia Bansley remembers the early days of painting directly on hospital walls – vibrant animals, such as zebras and giraffes, and big, lovely flowers.
“The foundation would outline the lines of the animals and flora, and volunteers, including patients at the hospital, would fill the outlines with suggested colors,” Bansley said.
“The patients love the bright, cheerful colors and subjects that make them smile,” she added.
The art also brings a smile to healthcare workers, who are sometimes overshadowed by the patients, said Scott Feight, John’s son who is director of the foundation.
“All these years, we would say if a healthcare worker feels better about what they’re doing and are appreciated, then they’re going to provide better care,” Scott said. “Then all of a sudden, COVID hit, and now it’s beautiful to see that people recognize this. It’s front and center of everyone’s mind.”
To celebrate these frontline heroes, the foundation created small “heart board” panels. These can be painted and given as an appreciation to healthcare workers and other first responders.
Credit: Phil Skinner
Credit: Phil Skinner
Another pandemic project is a six-panel mural showing people singing from their balconies while in quarantine. Art on each panel tells a true story, one from Chicago and cities in Australia, Brazil, Iraq, Italy and South Africa.
These murals will go to six hospitals for staff and patients to paint.
“The mural was inspired by this overcoming spirit, that no matter what this pandemic is going to do, we’re going to raise our voices and be positive,” Scott said.
With COVID, the foundation had to find a way to adjust and still have people paint together.
Zoom painting parties are forming globally. There are happy hour events and mural projects for extended families who want to socialize but cannot meet face to face.
“Now people can paint on their kitchen table and still make a difference,” Scott said. “When you’re quarantined together as a family, there’s nothing better than to do something for someone else while you’re at home.”
Credit: Phil Skinner
Credit: Phil Skinner
MORE DETAILS
How John Feight paints through the pandemic, social unrest, and political division:
In Feight’s Big Canoe community, he and a group of neighbors regularly meet on Monday mornings to paint. They call themselves the Big Canoe Touch Up Gang. Because of social distancing, they’ve had to stop their gatherings. However, on Aug. 11, the group met for an online Zoom “Love Paint Fest.” Feight created an art piece with the words: JUST LOVE. Each participant painted their board, then Feight pieced it together.
“It’s an attempt to bring everybody together and focus on love. It’s so much easier to love than to hate,” he said.
Credit: Picasa
Credit: Picasa
Credit: Picasa
Credit: Picasa
What is inspiring about painting together?
Scott Feight, director of the Foundation for Hospital Art: “The power of it is in bringing people together. All the studies scientifically will tell you the power of healing that art has in patient care and people’s attitudes. Ultimately, there’s something visual about bringing people together where they know that if you put something bright and colorful on the wall, it’s going to uplift people’s spirits. It’s something everybody can do and can do while conversing.”
HELP US INSPIRE ATLANTA
We recognize a big part of our journalistic mission is to shine a spotlight on wrongdoings and to hold our public officials accountable.
But we also understand the importance of celebrating our region’s moments, milestones and people. That’s exactly what we hope to accomplish with Inspire Atlanta.
Each week, Inspire Atlanta will profile a person who makes metro Atlanta a better place in which to live.
We can’t do this alone: We need your help in finding extraordinary people and identifying inspiring stories across our region. We learned about Foundation for Hospital Art from Marcia Bansley, former executive director of Trees Atlanta. She writes: “I volunteered for them years ago and they are still doing great things.”
Know someone who inspires you or makes metro Atlanta a better place for others?
Email us at AJC-InspireAtlanta@ajc.com.
