The art of healing: noting the ongoing positive impact of arts in the clinical setting, hospital administrators, artists, consultants, architects, designers, physicians and patients work together to ensure a healthful, uplifting environment

Art Business News, Sept, 2003 by Julie Keith

Softer oranges and reds, such as peach or apricot hues, are more appropriate for restoring depleted energy to body and mind without overstimulating. Vibrant burnt oranges and rust colors retain the influence of orange but temper it with the stability of brown, which symbolizes reliability. (There's nothing like a landscape filled with terra cotta-colored hills and horses to evoke feelings of security and well being in some viewers).

The use of blue as a therapeutic color is widely known. It's calming and promotes physical and mental relaxation, stimulates healing and creativity, relieves pain and lowers blood pressure. This is why health care settings feature lighter shades of blue in their decor. Dark blue, on the other hand, has a sedative effect, and can make some people feel melancholy and dejected. So while it can be successfully employed in bedrooms to encourage sleep, it may be wise to use it sparingly in other areas.

Mint green seems to pop up in hospital settings primarily because it's proven to be calming and comfortable to look at, perhaps because people associate green with nature. Some researchers believe green can help balance physiological functions of heart, lungs and blood circulation. Natural shades of green, such as apple green, or olive green, are often used to add a serene look.

While health is often improved using natural sunlight or light therapy, light colors don't always make us feel good. For example, a pure lemon yellow is a very cheerful color and is an excellent choice for decorating areas where creativity is encouraged. It's important to balance an energetic yellow with a calming blue in order to avoid too much stimulation to the nervous system. This is particularly true when using bright yellows in bedrooms of young children.

Mauves and purples can be used where productivity is important because they seem to inspire new ideas and fuel original thinking. Perceptive, intuitive personalities seem drawn to these colors. Adding a rosy red to violet to create a strong, assertive magenta may help to boost self-confidence in shy, overly sensitive people. The fact that kings and spiritual advisors have always favored purple probably accounts for its popularity as a "new age" color to be used in meditation rooms and in surroundings where leadership is important.

Black or white enhances the psychological effects of color. Used sparingly, these can add excitement and impact. Overdone, they can overwhelm the eye and deplete energy.

Color speaks to us in a way that only we, as individuals, can hear. And in a world where things seem terribly amiss at times, the art of color can make us feel whole again. ABN

-Shifra Stein Artist

SOURCES

* Billy Hork Galleries, (773) 671-2626

* Laurel Hecht, www.lahecht.com

* Lombardi Cancer Center,(202) 687-2223

* Med/ART, www.medartposters.com

* Rx Art Inc., www.rxart.net

* Society for the Arts in Healthcare, www.societyartshealthcare.org

* Shifra Stein, www.shifrastein.com

BY JULIE KEITH ABN Contributing Writer