St. Ann's Pavilion Project - by women for women about women

The final poster as a pdf.

It started actually with another sculpture. Gallery 202, Partners in Art, Inc. president , Renee Kropat was contacted to help with a leadership Westerville Project involving the grounds outside the children's waiting area near the emergency door. While workng on the project with artist Jerry Smith and our hospital liason, Janet Baker, the idea was tossed around about having a special piece designed for the new Women's Pavilion.images

Renee Kropat and Barbara Stover met with hospital personnel, Kurt Hummer, Karen Robeano and Janet Baker. The general idea proposed was to create a wall sculpture that would emphasize women of all ages, races and positive health. We wanted it to be created by women for women about women.

Twenty artists were contacted about this project and asked to meet to discuss whether it would be a project they would consider. We wanted to have a variety of mediums and we needed to have the piece completed by the opening of the Women's Pavilion Center in October, 2003. It was already the end of May, 2003

The first meeting included 11 artists and much discussion about what type of sculpture, the mediums, the image, colors and cost of the artwork. We realized that we needed to see the potential space for the piece, as well as potential colors, fabrics and textures. In the end of this meeting we had 10 artists who were on board with this project. We also needed to raise funds for this project.

A design group met at St. Ann's and toured the facility with hard hats on and total amazement. Three artists went home and came up with 3 potential designs which were then shown to the St. Ann's committee. The design chosen was created by Toni Louis Noble who just happened to be 6 months pregnant and would not be able to complete an actual part of the sculpture.

At our next meeting in June, we discussed how we would construct the project. The design would be divided into 9 pieces and each artist would take one piece and create in their medium. Each artist had to follow the basic design and keep the linear lines of the image definate. St Ann's had also asked that we rework the image of the baby. We were also given color samples that related to the hospital colors. After much discussion, the design was transfered on to a light backing board and each artist was sent home to practice.

In July, 2003, we met and compared notes on how the pieces matched up and what may or may not need to be done. The images were displayed in one of the artist's homes and filled a 8'x8' space. One artist was done, several were just barely started and most had the general image in place. Discussion was somewhat lively when it came to how the pieces should match up and whether it had to look realistic or not. Adjustments were made where needed so the images would flow. In the end, each artist was given the final backing board, told to prime it first and then go and create their image.

We held our breathes on the next meeting.

It was our third meeting and it was already August and we needed to be done in mid September to allow for framing requirements. In this meeting, as each artist arrived, we hung the pieces and gasps were heard as each piece was put in placed. We had also invited a member of St. Ann's to be present to guage the effect of this unusual piece.

It's very hard to describe what everyone felt as the final piece was hung and we all stood back to look at it, then we moved closer, then back again. There wasn't one thing anyone wanted to change and we were all excited about the overall design and it's result.

Starting from left to right, top to bottom.

Jane Garvey, Westerville, created the batik portion of the older women. She admits that she works great under pressure and created most of this the day of the second meeting.

Amy Rose, Westerville, uses materials under her acrylic paints to add dimension and interest. She was at first unsure and needed coaxing to continue on this project but the results speak for themselves.

Nancy Vance, Mt Gillead, was the first one done and we followed her lead in colors and values. Her quilted piece has hand dyed fabrics and the eye was created on computer and then transfered to material.

Ramona Moon, Columbus, has an incredible studio full of small pieces and parts that she often sticks on art cars. Finding items of the right color value and hue was not a problem for her.

Jo Anne Nay, Westerville, admitted that she had to relearn some of her watercolor skills and did alot of research before completing her piece. The lighter value of her piece with the strong black line ends up being the piece that holds this whole image together.

Kayte Targove, Canfield, was moving during this project. Known for her unique and fun upholstery, she created her piece to actually connects to the piece below to strengthen the overall imagery.

Renee Kropat, Westerville and project coordinator tried unsuccessfully for weeks to do a paper collage and finally admonish herself for not doing what she does best and drew the baby within a two hour time frame. Given that her sons are dark hair and brown eyes, she always wanted a blue eye baby girl and got it.

Connie Wood, Columbus, is a holistic artist and wanted to represent the spiritual side of women. By creating the least realistic image, she added another level to the overall piece.

Barbra Stover's, Waldo, piece is actually air brushed on to one piece of material and then quilted around the different colors. She created this design several times before being satisfied and finally on a T shirt!

We were done by September and were ready for the Open House in October. The piece was displayed on a temporary frame for the Open House activities and for the Gala that followed. We then discovered that it would not be installed until the connector hallway was completed.

The piece resided in the home of Renee Kropat for six months before it was finally installed. It is missed in that home.

We would like to thank all of those who help to fund this project and for St Ann' s Hospital for providing the perfect spot and framing and for an opportunity to create!