Nine Orcutt Academy art students painted a new mural for the Marian Regional Medical Center’s terrace, a popular spot for patients and visitors. The mural was unveiled on June 16, and depicts the landscape of the Santa Maria Valley, according to a release from Dignity Health.
Orcutt Academy High School’s advanced art teacher Dona Kintzi said she was proud of the students, who “persevered to the very end to do their very best.”
The mural hangs 12 feet wide and 8 feet tall with vibrant colors that make up the natural landscape. The mural depicts a cloudy sky over rolling Santa Maria Valley hills, with a vineyard and oak trees in the foreground.
The idea to install a mural on the hospital’s terrace came from respiratory therapist Nickie Brayton. After surprising one of her patients with a visit from their dog out on the terrace, Brayton realized just how impactful a visit outside had on the patient.
According to the release, she was determined to make the terrace a place where patients could find refuge from the stress of staying at a hospital.
“[The students] were moved by the thought of making a difference in a patient’s hospital stay,” Kintzi said.
Marian’s President and CEO Kerin Mase said in the release that since staying at the hospital can be a stressful time for both patients and their families, having “meaningful artwork” could help.
“We are happy to see this come together to enhance an environment of healing,” Mase said in the release.
This article appears in Jun 29 – Jul 6, 2017.
