Health Care Fine Art

Tips for better garden photos

Magnolia at the San Francisco Arboretum

I spent a few hours at the San Francisco Arboretum today with my sister. She asked me for a few tips since she has been disappointed with her garden pictures.

1. Use a tripod. With tripods you will be forced to be more careful with your composition and you will eliminate camera shake. Most amateurs I know just don't understand the reason to lug along bulky tripods. Trust me, you have to try this for a while to see why it is so important.

2. Shoot into the sun. By aiming your lens at the sun, you get back-lighting which can be  magical; like stained glass. This won't work on all pictures, but you need to try it.

3. Check the background. Many amateurs focus so hard on their subject that they don't see what is behind it. A busy or distracting background can ruin a picture.
   
4. Get closer. Once you have decided that you have something worth taking a picture of, try moving closer to let your subject fill the frame. Be sure to move around to find the best angle, light and background. Sometimes you will have to kneel down to get at eye level with the plant.
5. Scan the viewfinder before you shoot. Imagine that what you see is a print that you are holding in your hand. Is it appealing? Are their distracting elements. Is there anything along the edges that you don't want?
6. Use a Lens Hood. Lens hoods are great to keep direct sunlight from hitting the lens. Direct sunlight on a lens (a real risk when shooting back-lit subjects) can make the image look weird. Lens hoods also protect your lens from trauma.
7. Don't use a camera case. They just make your camera more inconvenient to use so you are less likely to get the picture you want. I have not used a camera case for many years.

Interview with Robin Constable Hanson

Robin Constable Hanson is one of the most successful healthcare artists in the world. Recently she let me interview her to get a glimpse into her life:

Early in your photography career you did a wide variety of work; even fashion photography. What  triggered your move to specialize in creating art for healthcare?

I started selling photographs when I was 14, and it was pictures of women models that came through my Dad's studio in Los Angeles. I loved fashion and dance, and my Dad was a noted photographer of women all my life. It was lots of fun and I was good at it. It was a time of great inspiration in fashion photography, with Avedon, Penn, Newton in every issue of Vogue.

To take this to the bigger world, I moved to Paris for a time in 1978. I realized that I didn't want to live so far away from family, and that the fashion business is based more on who you party with than the quality of work you produce. I came home with a lot of stylized photographs of Paris that caught a gallery owner's eye, did my first one-woman show. That in turn sparked the interest of a former roommate in college who was at loose ends. A PhD in anthropology didn't lead to many job offers, so he showed some of my images of desert florascapes to Kaiser Permanente, and they bought them. Huge prints, and my life changed forever. The photographs that I had done for my herbal field guides, and scenes to show my Mom, suddenly had a broader audience.

One project led to another. In 1986 I was awarded a GSA contract (have been on schedule ever since), and that led to many projects with VA and DoD  healthcare facilities.

2. You have worked for years creating nature art for healthcare in conventional hospitals as well as military hospitals. How are they different from one another?

I would say that the major difference in private sector vs military hospitals projects, for me, is the incredible freedom I get in working with the DoD. There is a real chain of command in the military, which means that you are accountable for doing a really good job, but are accorded a lot of freedom to exercise your creativity to make it spectacular. Not a lot of micro-managing by anyone. The main directive is to just make it look good. They know they are there for usually 2 years, not a lifetime like doctors at a community hospital. When we did Walter Reed for MG Timboe, of the many hundreds of images in the proposal I submitted, not one was changed. The same at Landstuhl for COL Gamble.

The DoD medical centers are enormous, so using the photographs for subliminal wayfinding (one of our specialties) is key. Getting from place to place in a million square feet is confusing. We use color, geographical regions, themes.... something different for every facility. Incorporating images that are "Oh, I know where that is" (local), to "I want to go there" (idealized place). The servicepeople have generally traveled everywhere, so I try and have a representation of where they have been to create a sense of home. After working on these projects for 20+ years, and taking pictures specifically for projects everywhere, I have an enormous library of images that are "Home" no matter where home really is. Japan, Germany, Colorado, Texas, DC....

How would you describe your work, your look?

I have more than one look, but the genre that is most popular with our military healthcare projects are an intimate scene. Like looking out of the most beautiful window. Human scale, so people don't feel insignificant, and big enough so they can have a sense of escape. Perhaps a pathway leading in, or a stream winding through. Usually we offer detail images that coordinate with the scene, like leaves floating in the water, or the curl of a fern stalk. Tulips to bracket a panorama from the garden in Holland.... Not as the main image, because I think scenes are "it" when it comes to providing stress relief in a hospital, people really need that sense that their imagination can lead them to this better place for a moment. There is something magical about the intimate view, too, though, and since I've always done it, I show it.

You travel extensively to get the pictures you need. How do you decide where to go?

I have a house full of books and magazine articles! I am a collector of information. I find out where / when things are happening in the natural world: when the cherry trees bloom in DC, when the fruit orchards bloom in California, when the tulips peak in Holland.... and what people whose vision I admire like to see when they go places. I study paintings and photographs by people whose work I love. I study landscape architecture books to see what gardens are must-sees and which are not my cup of tea.I go take a look. Then I practice. A lot.

What do you think is the biggest mistake the military makes when creating healthcare environments?

I don't think I can answer this question, as the military healthcare facilities I have been involved with are amazing places where the healing and compassion is astounding. I've never encountered more caring and skilled healers, or people more dedicated to taking care of their patients. Does the building contribute to this sense of mission? Sometimes. The buildings are getting better and better. And of course they have issues that civilian hospitals never have to consider: how to contain bio-warfare fallout, traumatic brain injury, amputee rehabilitation, substance abuse treatment.... as well as the normal surgeries, births, treatments and diagnosis centers.

Do you have a favorite place to take pictures, a place you go back to again and again?

I have Many favorite places, and I do go again and again. The past 2 autumns I have spent in New Hampshire and Vermont, rejoicing all over again in the fall turn. Going there from DC, I have stopped at Longwood Gardens, and it's always amazing. Gardens are my favorite, though I love the wild spaces too. For gardens in North America, Longwood, The Missouri Botanical Garden in St Louis, and the Huntington  Library here in Southern California have to be the best. The Huntington is my "home" space, and I try to get there every week or 2. When I get an artistic block, I can go and get lost in the patterns of the desert garden, and everything makes sense again. The Keukenhof is where I want to be every April, New Hampshire every October, with summer in England in-between. In a perfect world! But being here on the beach with the golden retrievers isn't bad either.

There has been two major changes in photography during your career. First was the transition from film to digital. Then there has been the transition from prints being made in dark rooms to prints coming out of printers. How has this impacted your work?

I started working in photography when I was 7, doing black & white production printing for my Dad. I think the long history of having to know photographic technique, grey scale and composition, are one of the reasons I am a good photographer. It's too easy to snap a digital picture without having to stop and think of technical aspects that raise it from a snapshot to an image that takes the breath away and has appeal that lasts forever. It's fun to have the results be instant (and free after the cost of equipment), but the discipline is key.

The prints I use in healthcare are not inkjet prints, they are true photographs, though the paper is exposed with a laser beam reading a computer file, rather than a light passing through film. I'm not totally sold on the inkjet look yet, though I know it's what you do, Henry. Maybe when I see more of my images done that way, I'll like it better. Maybe it will be more to my taste if the images are more abstractions to begin with, like yours are. For crisp scenes, I really love the real photos.

What are some of your most popular images?

The most popular images depend on the project! For Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, all the images were from Texas. For the DiLorenzo Clinic at the Pentagon, most of the pictures were from DC. I get a lot of people asking me where the cove at Pfeiffer Big Sur is (they want to go have a picnic there), the gazebo at Longwood Gardens, and of course the Keukenhof, though everyone stationed in Germany has probably been there. Japanese Gardens are always popular, and I think that with just a couple of exceptions I've been to all the ones in North America, many of them repeatedly. Every few years I get a new obsession; one year it was wisteria, another year it was bearded irises, lately it's waterlilies and lotus flowers. Once I show it, people love it. Most of the images I've done, no one ever sees. Because of doing custom proposals primarily, rather than showing it all on the internet, it's on an as-needed basis that I get images ready to show. Maybe if I had winter instead of gorgeous weather every day, I would get more computer work done and post it all on our website. Or maybe not.... have about 500,000 images so far and do more pictures most days.

What’s the best compliment you have ever received on you work?

I have a lot of people sending emails from various projects, and the best thing I ever hear is that having the pictures in the facility made the hospital experience more bearable, even provided some pleasant moments. I've made friends through the pictures; one of my dearest friends is a retired general who contacted me while his wife was undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma at Walter Reed. They would walk the hallways on her too-frequent visits, and it made her happy to see the pictures. He is who I have been staying with in DC while shooting the new art for the hospital at Fort Belvoir. A friend forever because of doing what I love---- doesn't get better than that.

Another story from Walter Reed (we did many hundreds of photos there for their 7-story monster in 2000), is a friend whose son got hit by an IED in in Baghdad while a Ranger there. He spent 8 months in rehab at WRAMC, and it was doubtful if he would ever move again. His Mom was there for him every day, and she told me that when she got off an elevator and didn't recognize the pictures, she knew she was in the wrong place. She was too dazed and traumatized to know where she was without those guideposts. A happy ending: he made a full recovery and went back to Iraq (maybe that part wasn't what his parents hoped for!)

If you’d like, feel free to ask yourself another question that you think is important to address.

While the plus side of working with military (primarily Army) medical facilities is the creative freedom, working with incredible people who are really there because of their need to provide Selfless Service, and the opportunity to have these huge galleries, the negative side is what has happened in military contracting. Many times since 9-11, we have been asked by a commander to do a proposal (that I do for free), and the project ends up in the bid process and goes to a company that provides art ---- posters usually--- for cheaper. The client doesn't get the quality or the product they want and deserve, and my time has been spent without any payment. I don't know how to fix this problem, but the Army is working on it.

The other down-side to these big projects, is that being involved at the construction stage, providing custom images, means a huge investment long before the project comes to print - install stage. I get to create images for specific spaces, and that's amazing and how it should be, but it's tough on the family budget. The current project I'm working on at Fort Belvoir has required 3 2-month shooting trips to the DC area so far, with a few more to go. And the art won't start to go in for a long time yet. It's an enormous honor to be chosen, and I'm the most fortunate photographer in the world, but economically it's a challenge.

Robin Constable Hanson is a photographer based in Southern California. To see Robin's work, her website is: www.robinconstablehanson.com

Mirrored Gallery Wrap

Increasingly I am being asked to provide canvas prints that have a "Mirrored Gallery Wrap". Gallery wrap is a method of stretching a canvas print so that the image wraps around the sides.This frameless method of displaying canvas prints saves significant money (no frame!) and gives a contemporary look.

Mirroring clones part of each side and flips it to create the outer edge for the gallery wrap. This prevents the cropping of the image that would occur otherwise.

To really understand this it helps to see pictures. Today I created a 54 x 36-inch canvas print that shows the steps involved. 

Step 1: Use a computer program to enlarge the print by mirroring.

Step 2: Gather the wooden stretcher bars while you are waiting for the canvas to print.

 

Step 3: Assemble the stretcher bars by tapping the ends together to form a rectangle.

 

Step 4: Inspect the canvas. Note the mirrored edges that look a bit like what you see in a Kaleidoscope.

 

Step 5: Wrap the canvas around the stretcher bars. Pull the canvas tight using canvas pliers. Staple the canvas to the back side of the stretcher bars so that no staples show.

 

Step 6: Done!

The goal is achieved: the integrity of the original composition is preserved.  Note how the sides of the wrap appear to be a continuation of the original image, but this is accomplished without the need to use up a portion of, and effectively crop the original composition.  The effect appears seamless.

5 Tips for using this Website

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This website has grown over the last couple years into a sort of Handbook on the use of Art in HealthCare. There are over 740 articles. Here are five tips to help you quickly find what you are interested in:

1. Use the Search Feature
2. Look at the Table of Contents
3. Don't miss Older Posts
4. Leave and Read Comments
5. Download the Free Book

Search Feature

If there is a topic or person you are looking for, type it into the Search field on the upper right. For example, if you type in "Budget" dozens of references to budget on the blog appear.

Table of Contents

Blogs are arranged by time rather than by subject. The newest posts are always at the top. That can make it hard to find things. To help narrow down your search, I created a table of contents: click here.

Older Posts

No more than ten posts can appear on one page of this website. But older articles may have the information you are interested in. To see them, when you get to the very bottom of a page be sure to press the >> icon with an underline under it.

Leave a Comment

One way blogs are different than other websites is that they allow readers to leave comments. This can lead to some pretty interesting discussions. To read those discussions you need to click the word "comments" found at the bottom of every post.

If you have an opinion on a topic, please leave a comment. Click here to see an explanation about how to leave comments.

Download the Free Book

I've taken the most useful articles from this website and turned them into a book: "Picture of Health, Handbook for Healthcare Art." This 217 page book has practical tips and insights on how to best use art in healthcare. You can download a free copy of the book by clicking here. 

Best Hospital Art Programs - Please Vote

I got an email yesterday asking me to name hospitals that have great art programs. I need your input on this. If you know of a hospital that has an impressive art program, please email me at henry@henrydomke.com and I'll add it to the list.

The email:

We have a client who is interested in identifying hospitals with "good art programs." While I have toured many hospitals, I have had very few tours that focused on the art programs and I am hoping that in your professional experience you have come across some facilities that have impressed you.

I imagine your first question, is what is meant by "good art programs," but rather than specifically qualify it, I think we'd be open to places with great art, or fabulous process/organization, or interesting community connections, or any other aspect of "greatness."

Art for Health's Sake

The five-story Pavilion at Paoli Hospital. Picture by April Saul

Lindsey Felch's $250,000 art project for the Pavilion at Paoli Hospital was featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer last weekend. The art, ideas and people behind this large project were covered in the article by Christopher Yasiejko. To read it click here.

Lindsey Felch is an art consultant and the director at AXIS Fine Art Services.

Featured Artist: Robin Constable Hanson

Robin Constable Hanson is one of the most successful healthcare artist in the world. She has been working full-time creating nature photographs for healthcare settings since the 1980s. Her photographs can be seen not just in America, but she also has huge installations in Europe and even Asia. 

In addition to providing art for civilian hospitals, in recent years she has increasingly provided art for large military hospitals using her GSA contract. In working on these projects she travels extensively to shoot custom images designed to fit with particular projects.

When she was traveling from California to the East Coast this summer on a two-month excursion, she stopped by to visit me. I was impressed with her energy, her drive. It is no wonder that she is successful!

Her website (www.robinconstablehanson.com) makes it easy to sort through the 250,000 pictures that she offers. On the left side of her home page you can quickly narrow down your search with a variety of topics. I like the way she makes it very easy to select verticals and horizontals within each category. On the top of the home page you can search for images by color or by entering keywords in a search field. All very easy; very fast.

Not only does she sell prints, but she also offers to sell them matted and framed if you want; all at very reasonable prices. 

Her experience creating art comes naturally, there is a long family tradition. Her father was a successful photographer who got her working in the darkroom when she was 7. Even further back in her family tree is the English Romantic painter John Constable.

Robin lives in Silver Strand California. To see more of her work and find her contact information visit her website: www.robinconstablehanson.com

Interview with Barbara Markoff - Art Consultant

Barbara Markoff is a corporate art consultant and the owner of Artrageous! in San Diego.

1. How are things different now with healthcare art projects than when you started a few decades ago?

Doing business has changed tremendously from when I started selling art programs in the 1980’s.  Without email, electronic communication, or fax machines communication was less efficient and slower, and face to face contact with clients was far more important to the decision making process.  Proposals were mailed or hand delivered and the art selections were limited.  Poster companies were in their infancy and artists/publishers did not produce art specific to the healthcare industry as they do today.

 

I remember one art program I provided for a now defunct hospital in San Diego that selected about 100 Monet posters for their facility, all framed with 2 mats and metal frames.  The art choices of today are vast making it much more exciting to put together a healthcare art program specifically tailored to the aesthetic design and culture of the facility.

 

In the 1980’s many hospitals did not grasp the importance of even having a coordinated art program in their facilities.  I worked in a psychiatric hospital in 1981 as an art therapist and there was no artwork at all. 

 

Today, of course, artwork is seen as a vital part of the overall design of the facility. Institutions now recognize that there is a psychological as well as a physical aspect of the healing process and that art plays a significant role.

2. You just finished writing a book "Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant". What was it like writing the book? What surprised you? What did you learn?

Writing the book was a very fulfilling experience. After writing for "Picture Framing Magazine” for 4 years, and teaching at our industry trade shows I already had a lot of the material I needed for the book.  I became very disciplined, writing about 3 to 4 hours each evening after work for about 6 months.  I learned that once I began writing I really had many good business strategies to share.  I also learned that the more I wrote the more I had to say, and I truly believe having my ideas in print will help a new generation of art consultants understand the whole process.  It is a very specialized profession and not one you can learn about in college.  I wanted to share my experiences and help others.  It surprised me that no books existed on how to become a corporate art consultant except for one that I considered somewhat outdated and focused more on selling investment art.  Once I realized there was not a current resource on the subject of corporate art consultation I felt compelled to write it myself.

3. What are the biggest mistakes people make when putting together hospital art programs?

One of the biggest mistakes people make when orchestrating a healthcare art program is to downplay the framing part of the design.  Having inspiring and well suited artwork is what is expected of an art consultant when presenting their art plan, but if the framing is dull, under scale, or unable to showcase the artwork then the art consultant is doing a disservice to their client.  Framing is an integral part of the finished artwork piece. 

 

Another mistake is not to vary the types of artwork presented.  I have seen whole healthcare facilities with canvas wrapped giclees and no other types of pieces integrated such as mixed media pieces, ceramic pieces, batiks, wall sculptures, etc.  Mixing up art selections add more visual interest.  Art consultants should be educating their clients about all of the types of art offerings available.

 

Having too many decision makers on the team is another mistake as it slows down the art selection process tremendously.  People get distracted and interject their personal taste when reviewing art selections during meetings.  Healthcare administrators may be better off limiting their art committee to 2 -3 individuals.  Recently I had an active committee of 8 decision makers, and it really took much more time than necessary to narrow down the art selections for the facility.

4. What part of your job as an art consultant do you enjoy the most? What annoys you the most?

I enjoy the art installations the most because after all of the hard work getting to that point my efforts culminate into an actual conclusion.  Art is on the walls and clients are thrilled and happy to see it.  The positive feedback is always nice to hear.  Since some clients cannot visualize what the art program will look like until it is installed, they are overwhelmed with excitement and praise.  Having happy clients who appreciate the art is very personally satisfying and what I like most about my profession.

    
What I like least is trying to get paid for completed jobs.  Corporate art sales are the lifeblood of my company, but unfortunately getting paid in a timely manner is not always easy.  Deposits are delayed and once jobs are installed I spend too much time on the phone trying to get paid.  It is not a fun part of my job but nonetheless I find myself in the position of “dialing for dollars.”

5. Can you offer one tip that can save money for healthcare art clients?

The one tip I can offer healthcare clients purchasing artwork to save money is to spend a little more money now on better quality framing materials to get more longevity out of the framed images.  Investing in ultraviolet filtering glazing and better quality matting will help the pieces last longer, which will save the facility money over a period of time.  Picture frame moulding needs to be selected not only for its aesthetic appeal, but also for the durability of the finish so it will last from cleaning in a commercial environment. The profile (or shape) of the moulding also should be considered so it does not protrude into areas of transit or get damaged from gurneys or equipment.

6. Would you like to speculate about what it will be like being and art consultant in 20-years? Do you think that digital displays of art will gradually overtake printed and painted art?

I will most likely not be an art consultant in 20 years, and I may even end up living in a facility here in San Diego where I provided the artwork!  What I envision is the increased use of digital display using flat screen display technology.  One of our healthcare clients has already retrofitted a hallway display that used to display conventional printed material that we framed.  Now they have a series of LCD monitors that are wired to a server and the images are changed and updated as needed.  Some of the imagery also rotates as an ongoing slide show with messages and a calendar of events.

 

With green design and LEED guidelines playing a significant role in 20 years most likely all artwork will need to comply with new standards.  Recycled materials will be more prevalent in wall sculptures and there will be increased sensitivity to biogradable inks, paints, papers, canvas, and sustainable framing materials.

 

I do not believe entire healthcare art programs will be replaced by digital displays but handmade, well-crafted, appropriate artwork will coexist with digital displays.  Since the goals are to design healthcare facilities conducive to healing, having artwork produced by humans will be seen as important to keep the human connection we strive for in hospitals and clinics. Being an art consultant in 20 years will be interesting and take an individual who understands digital media as well as the all other types of artwork.

7. I've been unable to find any large organization that represents art consultants. Is there one? If not, why do you think that is?

There is an organization called The International Association of Art Advisors. Their website is, www.iapaa.org.  Since the term “art consultant” is so broad and is an umbrella phrase for professionals who are curators for museums or corporate collections, art advisors who sell art at auctions or procure art for investment purposes, or individuals like me who sell art to corporate clients for the purpose of enhancing work environments, I have found no other art consulting organization.  I agree that there needs to be an organization for art consultants who are not selling or advising art procurement for investment purposes.  If any of your contacts know of an organization I would like to join it.

8. Anything else you would like to say?

I would like to thank you Henry for the opportunity to discuss my book and be interviewed by you for this blog.   I am available to help individuals learn about art consultation.  I hope my book with be a valuable resource for other art consultants and the new generation of individuals entering the profession. 

Barbara's contact information:

Barbara Markoff
Corporate Art Consultant
Artrageous!
www.theartconsultant.biz
5350-A Eastgate Mall
San Diego, CA   92121
858-452-7280   work
858-452-7210   fax

   

Book Review: Evidence-Based Healthcare Design

New Book: Evidence-Based Healthcare Design by Rosalyn Cama

Summary:

An inspirational and practical book that should be required reading for all who involved with healthcare design; especially students.

Pros:

• EBD explained in clear language by an expert 
• Generous use of images to illustrate the concepts
• Useful checklists at the end of each chapter
• Perfect for Design Students

Cons:

• Little discussion on the use of art in healtcare. "Art" is not even listed in the index.

I found her explanation of the 4 steps of EBD to be particularly helpful. They book is centered around these four sequential steps:

1. Gather qualitative & quantitative intelligence
2. Map strategic, cultural and research goals
3. Hypothesize outcomes, innovate, and implement translational design
4. Measure and share outcomes

Cama presents a variety of "real world" projects and shows how those four steps have been applied by others.

Evidence-Based Healthcare Design by Rosalyn Cama is available for $60 at Amazon.com.

Roz Cama is the President of the Board of the Center for Health Design. She is also President and Principal Interior Designer of CAMA, Inc. in New Haven, Connecticut.She is a frequent speaker about evidence-based healthcare design at meetings and conventions internationally.

LinkedIn - One Year Later - My Experience

I got an email recently asking about LinkedIn:

Henry, do you use this very much? I have not explored it.

I do use LinkedIn a lot. Since I joined a year ago I've looked at it almost every day. I now have over 1,000 contacts.

How does it help you?

It helps me keep track connections even after people change jobs or email addresses. Very helpful, especially in this economy.

It is a subtle form of marketing that helps keep my name in front of clients.  I say "subtle" because to be connected with someone they have to give you permission. 

I can learn things about my clients that I never would have known otherwise; their background & their interests. This is all on their homepage if they have filled it out.

What about Facebook and Twitter, aren't they more popular?

I use LinkedIn because it is Social Networking for Business. I use Facebook for finding classmates and old friends. Recently Twitter has started to collaborate with LinkedIn. Now when I write something on my "Network Update" on LinkedIn it appears automatically as a Tweet on my Twitter page.

In the last year I've found LinkedIn to be VERY useful and I plan to stay with it. But the Social Networking phenomenon is so young and growing so rapidly it is hard to guess where this is leading. 

Wikipedia has a useful article on LinkedIn. Click here to read it