by Alec Clayton
Three years ago, Capital Medical Center on Olympia’s Westside was taken over by MultiCare Health System, a not-for-profit healthcare organization based in Tacoma. This past July they opened the beautiful new MultiCare Women’s Center on McPhee Road across from the hospital, which has now been filled with original art by local women artists.
The art was curated by Lara Anderson, interior designer and owner of Red Door Interiors. The art is not open to the public but is there for the benefit of the center’s clients and to honor local artists.
Anderson said, “I was honored to be asked by Cecelia Loveless and Kazzie Young, to help procure artwork for the new MultiCare Women’s Clinic exam rooms and curate temporary installations of local female artists for the reception area. This assignment brought me so much happiness to meet new artists and reach out to artists I have known for years. I wanted to share these artists with all my friends and ask (them) to consider originals or quality framed prints to add beauty and joy to (their) homes,” Anderson said.
The idea was to populate the facility with the works of local female artists to inspire and comfort those who visit the clinic. Medical clinics can feel sterile and unwelcoming, so these women wanted to find a way to welcome patients and put their minds at ease.
“Fortunately, Olympia has an incredible art scene! My years of hosting artists for Arts Walk at my shop opened up my eyes to the diverse and talented artists who walk among us in ‘O’town.
“With this goal in mind,” Anderson said, “I had a few ideas of what I was looking for. I wanted subtle and powerful femininity represented. I wanted the art to be joyful and inspirational. Finally, I wanted every person who came in this clinic to feel heard and represented!
Cecelia Loveless, Executive Director of the MultiCare Capital Foundation said, “I am so grateful to see the vision that Dr. Angela Bowen had of creating a focus on women’s health come to fruition through the leadership of Dr. Monica Young, our Women’s Community Advisory Council, and generous donors.
All eight of these local artists along with Lara and her team at Red Door Interiors and Design transformed the clinic space to create a welcoming and healing environment. Each of the artists portrayed their deep passion for women.”
The Artists (The following quotes are from Anderson.)
Aimee Schreiber is represented by paintings of moths. “Like women, as we grow and change, the moths metamorphosis from a plain and shy caterpillar into a beautiful and confident beauty. She intricately details the insects’ patterns and colors then lays them on a background of fungi or flowers that intensify the beauty we are seeing.”
“Julie Kluh paints water in different light, locations and turbidity. Julie feels that water has a healing energy with the power to impact our mood, health and chance at resiliency. Her mastery of realistic painting techniques of nature feels effortless, elegant and calming.”
Julie Simpson is a cancer survivor. When she was going through treatment she found solace and strength in both her art and swimming. Her art is colorful, playful but mathematically complex at the same time. “I can be lost in her paintings, taking in the mixed media and layers that she adds on the canvas can be hypnotizing.”
Sandra Bocas paints portraits that are soulful with curves that are vibrantly painted with bold color combinations. “For me, the portrait subjects are complicated and suggest strong emotions.” Bocas is in demand as a lecturer in the art community and actively shows her work throughout the Northwest.
Susana Bulotovic experiments with bold bright colors and playful patterns creating abstracts that are cheerful and filled with energy. “My favorite has to be Suzana’s female portraits. She has a way of painting such confidence with a female tenacity that jumps off the canvas.”
Celery Jones’s art refuses to be boxed into one kind of artform or medium but needs to be free to try whatever speaks to her. She offered to create three originals for the Clinic’s temporary gallery. “We had a few short discussions, and out of that we debuted the ‘World Series’ based on brave, incredible women whose feats of strength and character benefitted countless generations.”
Paula Glaser is an experienced and talented photographer who covers all things nature. Featured are photography of the northern lights, some regional landscapes and her group of photos of Antelope Canyon.
Mia Schulte is a well-known artist in Olympia and has been showing at the Artists Gallery on the Westside for years. She is known for her abstract impressionistic paintings that practically vibrate with energy, dazzling color and movement.
WHAT
Art at the MultiCare Women’s Center
WHERE
601 McPhee Rd. SW, Olympia
LEARN MORE
https://www.multicare.org/location/multicare-capital-womens-health/
