Two New Books on Art in Healthcare
I started this blog over two years ago because I could not find any books that discussed how to use art in healthcare. That has just changed with the upcoming release of two new books: "Transforming the Healthcare Experience through the Arts" by Blair Sadler & Annette Ridenour and "Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant" by Barbara Markoff.
Even though both books originate in San Diego and both are written by experts with many decades of experience in the field, they couldn’t be more different from each other.
The first book "Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant" outlines practical, "real world", hands on suggestions that provide insight into this profession; it is full of useful tips. Drawing upon her decades of experience guiding clients to successful art selections and collaborating with artists, Markoff distills her knowledge into easily digestible chapters that provide key insights into the "in's and out's" of her profession. Though only one chapter is devoted exclusively to healthcare art, the book does provide the reader with a basic guideline of what you need to know to develop hospital art programs. Markoff deals with the nuts-and-bolts of the practical functions and implementation of budgets, proposals, framing, installations and deadlines. "Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant" helps you understand the perspective of each entity involved in the development of an art program: facility staff, artists, designers and art consultants.
"Transforming the Healthcare Experience through the Arts" is primarily a showcase for how the performing arts can be used in hospitals to effect a more positive and healing environment. At the core of the book are 36 examples of how this has been achieved successfully in a myriad of healthcare situations. The projects illustrated highlight the work of dancers, musicians, painters, visual artists, writers, photographers, and graphic designers in the context of the healing environment. This book is an inspiring exploration of past artistic successes; it invites the reader to dream about the possibilities that a performing arts program offers. The goal of "Transforming the Healthcare Experience through the Arts" is to elevate healthcare art experiences to a higher level through patient involvement; the opportunity to make art or experience the power of performance art is a powerful ally, designed to enhance healing. This book is a fine example of the value an experiential, performing arts program can provide as part of a patient's healing experience.
"Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant" deals with installed art: prints, paintings and sculptures. This is the kind of art that every hospital uses. In contrast "Transforming the Healthcare Experience through the Arts" focuses on time-based art. Performance art like this is not yet widely available in hospitals; but this book explains why it should be. "Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant" is clearly aimed at people who are considering becoming art consultants; but it will also be useful to artists, interior designers and facility people who want to understand all that is involved with putting together an art program for a large organization.
"Transforming the Healthcare Experience through the Arts" would be of most interest to senior healthcare executives, artists and the general public. The book explains why the "Arts" are worthwhile and can be cost effective.
"Transforming the Healthcare Experience through the Arts" was written by two authors, has commentaries by four others and has many quotes. "Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant" is written with only one voice which I found easier to read.
These two books are both useful and they compliment each other. Markoff’s book is about the here-and-now; a useful handbook. The Ridenour/Sadler book is for dreaming about what the art experience might be in an ideal hospital.
"Transforming the Healthcare Experience through the Arts" will become available on December 1st, 2009. It can be purchased for $49.95. To purchase it or learn more: www.artandhealthcare.com
"Becoming A Corporate Art Consultant" will become available in February of 2010. It will cost $29.95. To reserve a copy, you can email Barbara Markoff at: bmarkoff@mac.com The entire chapter on Healthcare Art Consulting is available on a previous post on this blog. To read it, click here.
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About the authors, all of whom are based in San Diego:
Barbara Markoff is the owner of Artrageous! and is a corporate art consultant. She has a BFA in Ceramics and an MA in Art Therapy.
Annette Ridenour is the president at Aesthetics, Inc, a firm that does holistic healthcare design.
Blair Sadler is an attorney that worked as a hospital administrator for 16-years. He and Annette are co-founders of the Blair L. Sadler International Healing Arts Awards.
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