Local students create art for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center

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Last November, Granby resident Lori Catlin Garcia contacted local art teachers seeking help with winter decorations and other art projects for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, where she is the facilities creative manager. Several local students, teachers and artists stepped forward to share their talents.
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Ceramic art by: Avis Cherichetti with Serra Tickey and Courtney Rambush Collage art by: Soul Leavitt Photos by Erin Blinn-Curran

Brenda Miller and her art students at Wells Road School spent hours cutting out hundreds of paper snowflakes. These were put up on every floor of the hospital, much to the delight of patients and staff during the winter season. High school art student Soul Leavitt submitted drawings of a whimsical scene featuring a family of snow people. These illustrations were printed on vinyl and hung on interior windows in the facility.
In February, art with an underwater theme was needed for the new Physical and Occupational Therapy Clinic in Farmington. Avis Cherichetti of Honey Hill Pottery worked with high school art students Serra Tickey and Courtney Rambush to create a fanciful family of clay sea creatures to hang in the clinic hallway. Local sculptor Bradford McDougall donated a huge mobile featuring metal fish that was hung in the clinic gym. Student artist Soul Leavitt stepped forward again for the clinic, creating three large collages featuring life under the sea. These pieces were featured in the waiting room.
“Working with Connecticut artists and students is the perfect way to bring new art into the medical center”, said Garcia. “When professional artists mentor younger artists, the students learn about potential career opportunities. High school students who seek college admission gain both real-world experience and professional work to include in their portfolios”.
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is the only hospital in Connecticut dedicated exclusively to the care of children. It is a nationally recognized not-for-profit facility with a medical staff of more than 1,000 providing comprehensive, world-class health care in more than 30 pediatric specialties and subspecialties. Connecticut Children’s is the primary pediatric teaching hospital for the UConn School of Medicine, has a teaching partnership with the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University and is a research partner of Jackson Laboratory. Its Office for Community Child Health is a national leader in community-based prevention and wellness programs.
For more information, visit www.connecticutchildrens.org or connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/connecticutchildrens or Twitter at twitter.com/ctchildrens.