Art Club Brightens Pediatric Floor at Arnot Ogden

Elmira, NY (05/07/2019) — The Elmira College Art Club recently began a new mural project to brighten the pediatric floor at the Arnot Ogden Medical Center. Megan Spirowski '20, president of the EC Art Club, had the vision to combine a passion of art and interest in medicine to create something special.

"I started the mural project because I wanted to combine my passion for art with my interests in medicine. Hospitals traditionally have plain, boring walls, making people feel scared and in a foreign place," explains Spirowski. "The main goal of this project is to bring happiness to people traveling through the hospital, and make people feel a bit more at home. We are starting with the pediatric floor because children are going to benefit greatly from seeing characters on their walls around all of the hospital necessities, and hopefully give them a distraction from the doctors and procedures going on around them."

The project incorporates different themes, each centered around the colors of the individual rooms and locations. One of the most involved murals is in the playroom, which consists of an "under the sea theme," centered around the blue ocean-like walls in the room. Other themes include a circus theme, incorporating the nurses' names and pictures, and a forest theme at the end of the hallway, creating the visual of actually looking outside.

"The staff at the hospital has been very welcoming, and has gone out of their way to show their excitement and support," said Spirowski. "We have also gotten many thanks from parents of children staying at the hospital because the walls are now more interactive and colorful."

Currently there are ten students involved in painting the murals: Megan Spirowski '20, Ashley Berg '22, Kaylee Griffin '22, Jordan Fisher '21, Max Lundin '22, Hailey Halse '22, Kristen Tull '22, Emma Henry '22, Zoe Price '22, and Jasmine Schumacher '22. The project is set to run throughout May and should conclude by the end of the month.

To follow the progress of the project, visit the EC Art Club Facebook page.