Students win for healing artwork

Staff report

Youngstown

The fields of art and medicine merged together when local youths explored using artwork as a tool for healing.

In a special event to recognize the 100th anniversary, St. Elizabeth Health Center invited Mahoning County students in grades 10 through 12 to participate in a special healing-arts contest to explore the therapeutic properties of art.

Students were asked to create an art piece that expressed joy, peace, calm, beauty and well-being to impact a healing of mind and to provide a place to escape from pain and medicine.

The artists could choose their choice of medium — from watercolors to oil paintings to pencil sketches. The contest was to encourage art students in their appreciation for the valuable role art can play in enhancing the healing process for patients in a hospital setting and during recuperation time at home.

“So much of the centennial year focuses on the achievements of the past. What better way to look toward the future of St. Elizabeth than by engaging the talent of our area’s youth,” said Sister Marie Ruegg, vice president of mission integration and chairwoman of the healing-arts contest committee.

There were 24 entries from eight schools. The artwork was judged by five professionals with an interest or background in the arts. The artwork was displayed anonymously with only the name of the piece shown.

The judges were Misty Bradley-Noble, graphic artist, Humility of Mary Health Partners (HMHP); Chris McCarty, recruitment coordinator, HMHP; Sister Therese Pavilonis, artist and art teacher; Rick Pedaline, graphic artist, HMHP; and Becky Tennant, Strollo Architects.

The five winning artists each received a prize. First place took $500; second place, $400; third place, $300; fourth place, $200; and fifth place, $100.

Prize money was provided by HMHP Development Foundation.

The winning pieces are on display through December at St. Elizabeth off the Park Avenue lobby by the Heart Lab.

The five winning artists were: Kelly Hynes of Lowellville High School, first place; Nathalie McClune of Canfield High School, second; Alexandra Hames of Western Reserve High School, third; Alyssa Croft of Lowellville High School, fourth; and Maddie Griffiths of Jackson-Milton High School, fifth place.