the healing power of art in action

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  • 7/31/2019 The Healing Power of Art in Action

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    The Baltimore Times, September 25 - October 1, 2009 (www.baltimoretimesonline.com) Positive stories about positive people!Page 14

    Altered bookscompetitionTurn an old book into a work of art

    Baltimore, Md.Feeling creative? So

    get in the act! Grab one of those un-wanted books and turn it into a work of

    art. The Enoch Pratt Free Library is

    proud to announce its first ever Altered

    Books Competition.

    An altered book is any book, old or

    new that has been recycled by creative

    means into a work of art. They can be

    rebound, painted, cut, burned, folded,

    added to, collaged in, rubber stamped,

    drilled or otherwise adorned. Altered

    books may be as simple as adding a

    drawing or text to a page, or as complexas creating an intricate book sculpture.

    We are excited to provide an environ-

    ment for readers and artists to enjoy with

    our first ever Altered Books Competi-

    tion, said Carla D. Hayden, CEO of the

    Enoch Pratt Free Library.

    Baltimore is full of talented artists

    and we cant wait to see the wonderful

    works of art they will be creating.

    Come join the Pratt Library at the Bal-

    timore Book Festival on Friday, Septem-ber 25, 6 to 8 pm, and make your own

    altered book. The library will provide

    old books and supplies for free.

    All entries to the competition should

    be received no later than 1 p.m. on Sat-

    urday, September 26. Prizes will be

    awarded to the top three altered books.

    The top 15 altered books will be on dis-

    play at the Central Library during the

    month of October.

    For more information, guidelines anda registration form for the Pratts Altered

    Books Competition, visit our website at

    www.prattlibrary.org/alteredbooks.

    By Zaina Adamu

    The Mt. Washington Pediatric

    Hospital in Baltimore held a

    dedication ceremony for a chil-drens tile mural located on a

    cleverly disguised garden wall

    on the hospitals grounds Sep-

    tember 17, 2009.

    The mural consists of 100

    artistic tiles, each created by the

    hospitals patients. After the

    tiles were decorated, Maryland

    Institute College of Art student

    Caroline Van Sicklin glossed the

    tiles, arranged them according

    to style and attached them to

    produce a singular piece of art.

    The project introduced me

    to the Mt. Washington Pediatric

    Hospital family of clinicians,

    patients and families, said Van

    Sicklin. There is much

    warmth here. You feel it when

    you first step through the doors.

    It truly is a very special place.

    Van Sicklin was introduced to

    the garden when it first openedlast year and proposed the idea

    to create the mural for the chil-

    dren. She said art not only en-

    lightens the countless children

    who are physically disabled

    and bed-bound, but it opens a

    new side of creativity within

    thema side most children

    subconsciously conceal. I

    think its important to have

    something permanent whenyoure in a hospital for months

    at a time, she said.

    Seven-year-old pediatric

    patient Victoria jumped with

    glee when she saw the tile she

    created on the mural. She

    proudly painted her tile in deeppink with her name (written

    backwards) in big bold letters

    across it. I love it, she ex-

    claimed. It was easily notice-

    able that she loved the hospital

    as well. They took care of me

    when I was sick, she added.

    There are a lot of people I like

    around here.

    Sheldon Stein, president and

    CEO of Mt. Washington Pedi-

    atric Hospital knew the garden

    would serve as a therapeutic

    environment for the children.

    The addition of the mural

    sealed the deal. Many images

    painted on the tiles symbolize

    hope and renewal, he said. I

    am confident the mural will in-

    spire thousands of children,

    families and visitors for years

    to come.

    Stein continuously thankedVan Sicklin for her selfless

    contribution to the garden.

    She is a remarkably talented

    young artist, who provided an

    outlet for our patients to ex-

    press their emotions through

    art, he said.

    The Mt. Washington Pediatric

    Hospital has helped make

    stridesin children health devel-

    opment through inpatient andoutpatient care for children with

    special medical needs. For more

    than 86 years, the hospital offers

    a host of medical services in-

    cluding evaluation, diagnosis

    and treatment. More recently,

    the hospital implemented an in-ventive element of therapy

    through art for children in the

    recovery process of illness.

    The mural is dedicated to

    Ruth Carol, who helped start a

    program two years ago that fo-

    cused on exposing patients to

    different forms of art.

    (Top): L-r: Brittany Everett,

    sister to pediatric patient;

    Maryland Institute College of

    Art student Caroline Van Sick-

    lin, creator of the children's

    mural; Victoria Everett, pedi-

    atric patient at Mt. Washing-

    ton Pediatric Hospital in

    Baltimore pose in front of the

    new children's mural at the

    hospital's children's garden.

    (Center): Brittany Everett, sis-

    ter to pediatric patient, glee-

    fully points out the a title inthe recently unveiled mural.

    (Bottom): President and CEO

    of Mt. Washington Pediatric

    Hospital Sheldon Stein gives

    flowers to Maryland Institute

    College of Art student Caro-

    line Van Sicklin for her cre-

    ation of the children's mural

    at the hospital's children's

    garden.

    Credit: Courtesy photo

    The healing power of art in action