Two area artists have completed murals in two rooms at Collingwood General and Marine Hospital's (CGMH) emergency department, which serve as safe rooms for patients experiencing a mental health crisis.
Artists Taylor Wensley and Susanna Lamy were chosen to complete murals in the safe rooms, and each painted a landscape on the wall.
"I applaud the members of CGMH's mental health department for implementing this significant project," said Lamy in a news release from the hospital. She said it was a pleasure to be part of the initiative and hoped the mural and safe room would help comfort patients.
The hospital put out a call for two area mural artists in October 2021.
The artists were asked to depict calm scenes that could contribute to feelings of safety and self-regulation.
"People in trying times look to art to find inspiration, peace, and reflection," said Wensley, who commended the team involved for recognizing the "magic of art."
The project was funded by the CGMH Foundation Giving Circle, which is a group of women supporting the hospital foundation by funding "innovative or exceptional needs" that go beyond the hospital's capital budget.
The foundation is charged with fundraising for any capital needs at the hospital (new equipment, renovations, etc). The province funds the hospital's daily operations, but not new equipment.
"The Giving Circle was proud to provide funding for this important project, which will profoundly impact mental health patients at CGMH," states the hospital news release.
The hospital's manager of mental health services, rehabilitation (interim), spiritual care, and hemodialysis, Crystal Bell, said she is pleased with how the project turned out.
"The needs of mental health patients are specific and may vary depending on diagnosis and reason for a visit to the Emergency Department safe rooms," said Bell in the news release. "Patients may arrive at the emergency department in a mental health crisis experiencing self-harming behaviour and/or suicidal ideation, aggressive and/or violent behaviour, and risk of elopement. It is important the physical and therapeutic environment of the safe rooms contributes to feelings of safety and self-regulation."
