By Katie Vaughn | Photography by Hillary Schave
If you were selecting artwork to hang on the walls of a hospital, you might opt for serene landscapes. After all, they’re calming and have broad appeal.
But that choice could miss opportunities for connection and even healing in certain settings, says Margaret LeMay, owner, founder and president of Integrated Art Group, which guides organizations, agencies and corporations around the country in building art collections.
“The healing process is as subjective and personal as how a person views artwork,” says LeMay, who also founded Gallery Marzen on Atwood Avenue and previously worked in the in-house art program at health care design-build company ERDMAN.
LeMay recalls a cancer patient explaining how looking at abstract art helped him address the myriad emotions — anger, fear, grief, uncertainty — he was experiencing after his diagnosis. Or, she says, a family member of a patient may appreciate the distraction of a thought- provoking painting.
When working with a healthcare organization, LeMay pays close attention to the location and patient population, as both factors can help dictate art choices.
She strives to make all viewers feel seen in the artwork and often recommends showcasing pieces by local artists.
Recently, LeMay helped a team at UW Health, alongside UW Health art project manager Mandy Kron, select more than 1,200 original works by local and regional artists for its new 469,000-square-foot Eastpark Medical Center.
“We talked a lot about how people would be coming here from all around the world,” LeMay says, referring to doctors and staff as well as patients and visitors, “and how we bring that diversity so everyone feels welcome.”
The feedback she’s received about this project and others is that people feel valued when they relate to the artwork in a space.
When pieces are chosen thoughtfully and appropriately for a specific setting, it creates feelings of inclusion and intention, not simply an aesthetic, says LeMay.
“Art pulls everything together,” LeMay says. “It’s the crown jewel of the project.”
