Art is a window of hope when an actual window is not possible
High school and college students are invited to create art that inspires healing and hopefulness and donate it to Healing Through The Arts (HTTA). Following the gallery show located in the lobby area, all art is available free to any hospital, doctors’ office, clinic, or healing facility to inspire patients, families, and staff. After 14 years, HTTA has placed art in more than 40 hospitals and healing facilities.
Students create art to help others, however, the process of creating the art also helps themselves. They have the opportunity to explore their own creativity and share their own journey. This process is essential at a time that mental health issues are growing. Research shows that nature images are calming and healing to most people.
Last year’s 14th annual show featured art from 11 high schools and 6 colleges. Students participated individually or with their class and donated 144 pieces of individual art for the gallery show, including two participants now art educators who submitted pieces with their high school classes. A total of 34 awards were given this year, the most this show has ever had. There are five judges’ awards with cash prizes ranging from $500-$150. Community Awards are selected by anyone who wants to honor the student work that speaks personally to them and fund the prize. Eighteen students won the $100 prize this year. Additionally, The Baum School of Art awarded 10 students with scholarships.
Art shows that life is beautiful and opens the mind to new possibilities by creating optimism. Familiar scenes bring back memories. Unfamiliar ones can create a sense of wonder or desire to see more. As art emotionally draws the viewer into the picture, it can be a welcome distraction from the pain of recovery and boredom for patients and caregivers.
Select artwork from all the Hope & Healing Juried Art Shows are used to create Healing Art Meditations. These single-song mini meditations combine inspiring images and soothing music from Jim Brickman and other acclaimed artists who support the work of HTTA. Meditations can be viewed from HTTA.org on any device, anywhere, anytime.
Healing Through The Arts (HTTA.org) provides instructions and guidance for creating art that is healing. Lehigh University’s College of Health is a leader in improving human health outcomes through interdisciplinary studies and research in population and community health and health innovation and technology. Healing Through The Arts is proud of this partnership.
This exhibition is presented in partnership with the Lehigh University Art Galleries for the planning, installation, and exhibition programming.
