Our History

Healing Window Paintings: How this work came to be

From Mending Spirit Founder D'vorah Horn:

"In 2009 I was working in a large urban hospital as a consultant training in a program entitled “care with compassion”. It was known that I was an artist, and I was approached to offer up ideas as to how to mask an unsightly construction project seen through prominent windows.

As I walked the halls of this bright, newly renovated hospital, I tried to sense what it might be like for the healthcare worker, a medical professional, a patient, or family member in this environment. I imagined the desire, but not time to go to the healing garden, or the limited view a patient has from the bed. I remembered the difficult walk down the long halls to comfort a loved one, or to work day in and day out with those who were ill, or perhaps to register for a medical procedure. I tried to imagine the days of rehabilitation, the narrow scope of stimulation and the potentially mind numbing lack of access to productivity. I tried to sense what I could do to positively affect these difficult realities.

Then I imagined the colors I could bring to this environment. The windows that could hold paintings of color and texture that would glow on grey days, colors that would cascade in like stained glass windows when the sun came through. This is how my work began, this was the birth of a connection between my paintings and bringing healing color into the lives of patients, families, workers.

The Current Work:

I paint on clear acrylic, with transparent and translucent colorfast paints, my style varies from completely abstract to realism and impressionistic imagery. I paint with the conscious intention of healing, of “mending spirit”. It has been very moving to find that my work aides healing by bringing color into environments where everyone is working hard to heal, stay well, keep their spirit intact, alive and strong. I have found that the positive effect of this work is not exclusive to health care related environments.

I began by bringing my work into individual hospital rooms, hospice settings, palliative care and rehabilitation centers. I gave pieces to individuals who were home healing from loss or injury. After the response I received I decided to create an exhibit that would go from location to location with the intention of freely sharing the work with the community.

I currently have a large collection of paintings that are being exhibited in over 30 locations around the Philadelphia area. Each exhibit lasts three-four months and the paintings are placed everywhere; activities rooms, eating areas, hallways, even in patient rooms. I had a survey created by a post graduate student at the White institute to follow up on collecting some qualitative date, but the real data is anecdotal, the response has been wonderful.

My goals are to see expansion of both the scope and breath of this concept, the concept of “Mending Spirit” through healing art. I would like to be able to continue to rotate the current exhibit through small centers and into larger hospital settings and Children’s hospitals. I would like to be able to continue to add paintings specific to each site as I have been doing so far, most of which have been collaborations. I would like to see the more sites be able to have permanent installations, specifically designed for their sites. I would like to continue involve shelter residents, public school students, incarcerated adults, patients, family members, health care workers, etc.  in the creation of painted windows along side me.

I believe in seeing other healing art come into these sites. I have a flower artist, a weaver, singers, and a writer working with Mending Spirit, art for healing. I imagine a rotation of singers, musicians, poets, performers, even comedians; both volunteering and paid, (as we need to support their spirits as well) coming to offer healing art.