The West Parry Sound Hospital’s art collection has been donated by dozens of artists who love the area.
West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation (WPSHCF) executive director Lynne Atkinson explained the rich history of the paintings, sketches and stained glass pieces that line the windows and walls of the hospital.
Artists like Doris McCarthy, Ed Bartram, Allen Stein, Libby Scoffield, Carl Langerfield, and Geoffrey Armstrong among many others have all donated pieces from their personal collection to be appreciated by hospital patients and visitors.
“They love the area and they feel grateful to the hospital. They understand how important art and peace is to patients and families and so they’ve made our place more beautiful. We’re very lucky,” Atkinson said.
“It’s part and parcel about loving the area and wanting to leave something behind,” she added.
According to Atkinson, artists who wish to have their pieces in the hospital must have their work framed and adjudicated for insurance purposes if the value is over $1,000.
She says a mix of interior design, art and architecture were incorporated into the hospital’s design to create an uplifting, vibrant and peaceful space for hospital patients and visitors.
Atkinson said that $27000 was also donated from the Rotary Club of Parry Sound to help in creating the palliative spaces. The hospital uses art to garner more donations for equipment.
“The key to it all is donations, it all keeps coming from donors. We need support in a creative way,” she said.
Atkinson reminisced about a time in 2010 when the hospital needed a new mammography machine which cost approximately $650,000 and most people sent their cancer donations everywhere else except the hospital.
In order to garner the attention of the community, Susan Tate of the Community Business and Development Centre designed the first “art bras” which were painted and decorated then hung on a clothesline around the hospital.
“I couldn’t go anywhere without someone offering to make something for the hospital. We had 101 incredibly designed art bras, we were invited to the CNE with them and then a book was created, so we got our money out of that creative project,” Atkinson said.
The hospital has a catalogue of its art collection for insurance purposes but there is no clear number of unique and original pieces that line the walls of the West Parry Sound Hospital.