Art for Health’s Sake
Art soothes the soul, as the saying goes.
The truth in that sentiment is reflected at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, which has an extensive collection of art, much of it by local artists.
“It’s carefully curated,” says UCHealth’s Lindsey Reznicek. One common denominator among patients has been their desire to get back outdoors, return to their community, and get back to their sport, whether it’s skiing, biking, hockey, pickleball or the myriad of other athletic interests pursued by Routt County residents.
The art is there, in part, to remind them of that goal. Fittingly, the dominant mural in SportsMed, the physical rehabilitation section of the hospital, is by Steamboat Springs artist Lance Whitner. It depicts a late autumn/early winter view of Soda Creek, a popular hiking/skiing destination on Buffalo Pass. The ski line disappearing down into the valley could have been made by any number of locals who go to the clinic. “Hey, I know right where that is,” more than one person has said upon seeing the painting.
"Steamboat Springs Centennial Quilt," a much-treasured piece of local history, is also in SportsMed. Fourteen prominent local women contributed squares to the project. Everything from hot air balloons to the Steamboat Barn, from the Crawford House to the Art Depot, and from the library to the courthouse, is depicted on the quilt, which was donated to the hospital in 2007.
A copper-clad bust of a woman stands in the corner of the oncology center. “It’s the piece that people notice the most,” says Sanaya Sturm, nurse manager. She notes that occasionally, patients are also artists, who donate their work to the hospital. “This piece reflects my journey through cancer,” they tell her.
Cancer survivor Karen Schulman is one of the hospital’s most generous art donors. She has given several pieces of fine-art photography to the collection. Nationally renowned bronze sculptor Curtis Zabel is another grateful benefactor. He recently donated “On the Edge,” a sculpture of two mountain goats, to the cancer center. He quipped at the time that the sculpture’s title reflected his own feelings when faced with medical problems.
Cool blue and gray tones prevail in the Breast Care Center’s artwork, which includes a fused-glass piece by Jennifer Baker and a portrait of a blue bear by longtime Colorado artist Pat Walsh. A bronze sculpture by Sandy Graves stands nearby. Several other artists’ work completes the décor.
One of the more emotive pieces in the hospital's collection is the tall contemporary monument topped with an angel’s wing that stands outside the entrance to the emergency room. It is dedicated to the Yampa Valley Air Ambulance crew that lost their lives in a crash on Jan. 21, 2006.
Since its opening in 1999, the Yampa Valley Medical Center has understood the importance of art to the community. As the hospital has grown into Northwest Colorado’s foremost medical center, its art collection has grown along with it.