As a working artist I wear many different hats in order to make ends
meet. On Mondays and Wednesdays I facilitate an Art and Healing
program on the High Risk Pregnancy Unit at Tulsa’s Peggy Helmerich
Women’s Center. I am considered and artist in residence through the
Arts and Humanities Council. I have done this project for over 8 years
and have been witness to amazing, unintended results. What began as a
program to help break the boredom of the young women on the floor who
were confined to their rooms and specifically to their beds for weeks
and months at a time. In the confines of those four walls and in that
bed there is no chance of interaction with anyone else on the floor,
even their own neighbors, many of whom are experiencing the same
difficulties.
Add the Art Cart Sessions:
What before were
endless days with nothing to look forward to, no one to talk to, the
stress and anxiety of being in the hospital, the worry of their
condition and that of their unborn children, and the lack of creative
input or output at the most creative time in their lives, now with the
art sessions the young women have a reason to get out of bed 2 times a
week. Their spirits rise as time draws near for the sessions .
Solitude turns to community. Worried young women share their stories. I
often hear “Oh, I am in here for that too.” Second or third time moms
often share a successful preemie birth story with others who have low
weight unborn babies that they are worried about. Tension and Anxiety
begin to lessen as the girls work with their hands creating wooden
plaques, frames, jewelry, knit, crochet and more. The room fills with
animated voices and laughter.
This week I had 3 Spanish speakers
in Art Cart Sessions, two of whom had been in their hospital rooms for 3
weeks w/o ever meeting each other. One of them had attended as often as
I would invite her in my very bad Spanish. This time there was a lot of
happy Spanish voices in the room and new friendships were made. The
English speakers have been faithful attendees and have stayed later
after I leave to continue doing art and this time, one of them brought
in movies to watch with everyone after the session. This would have NO
CHANCE of ever happening except for the art cart sessions.
Is
your church or civic Women's Group looking for a great cause to support?
I have been working for many years doing an art program with young
women on strict bed rest, many of them for months at a time, awaiting
the birth of their child. They are all on the high risk unit of the
Peggy Helmerich Women's Health Center. The art cart sessions are the
ONLY thing they have to look forward to each week. Unfortunately we have
run out of funds for the program and are looking for someone to take on
the funding. Any ideas out there? Call me or contact me through
Facebook. I had a paid position but am having to move to volunteer just
to keep the program going. You can also make a donation through The Arts
and Humanities Council w attention the High Risk Unit art cart Arts and
Healing Program.
