helenfarrellart

Arts in Healthcare is a little recognised, but expanding and important area in Ireland today, having the potential to transform healthcare experiences and societal health through the Arts. I was fortunate to gain valuable and enjoyable experience in this field while working as a Creativity Facilitator for a year in a Residential Care Hospital in Dublin in 2014.  This post gives a brief overview of a wonderful and innovative summer long Outdoor Art Exhibition which we curated in the hospital courtyard. Some of our residents chose to give a comment on their input into this show -  I have included these in itallics. "Pillowcase project" "Love" - Mosaic on wood. Comment by artist "Wow!"  Our "Outdoor Art Exhibition" was especially popular, so I am uploading some images of this event, which will give a flavour of some of the work we made. "Blue Tree" - Watercolour on weatherproofed paper. Commen...

.This is an area I have a big interest in, having been involved in both the arts -  as an artist and also in  healthcare - as a nurse for most of my adult life.  We are all creative beings, and when we connect with our unique creative source, we become more “whole”, helping bring together our essential connection of body, mind and spirit and thus helping maintain or restore our health.   “Creativity for Wellness” incorporates all the arts: music, the visual arts, drama, literature, gardening and movement, to name a few. “Creativity for Wellness” is closely linked with Arts in Healthcare. This discipline can best be explained as Art for Arts sake, as it is not considered a therapy as such. For example, art therapists work closely with psychologists, while Arts in Healthcare offer countless benefits towards personal and societal wellbeing by simply connecting with our creativity. Arts in Healthcare is a little recognised, but expanding and important ar...