The Artist’s Studio is the second commission project for the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. In the newly built expansion of the hospital the architects built private spaces for waiting family members in the Neo-natal unit to sit away from individual rooms. The concept is a working artist studio 2 times normal size as though the adult is seeing this is through the eyes of a small child. The work is meant to inspire creativity and encourage their inner artist from the art supplies are placed outside the viewing window to ask “What would you paint on the (blank) canvas?” Participants can use the materials to create anything they wish, photograph it with their cell phone, and post their creation on the ETCH Facebook page. They are immediately entered in a quarterly contest to win $100 in art supplies. 

The full installation was conceived by the artist and Jay McBride with assistance of dedicated creators. The predominate materials used include ceramics and wood with cleverly placed commercial produced objects. Many of of the elements hide their true material nature adding to the wonderment of the scene.

The Artist Studio - Snapshots

The East Tennessee Children's Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee knows children need more than medicine to get well and their environment can speed the healing process. In 2015 installation began on an artist created water fountain and environmental elements on the renovated 3rd floor courtyard adjacent to the Hematology/Oncology clinic and is surrounded on three sides by inpatient rooms. 

This magical and serine environment was built with kids and adults in mind. The colorful and playful designs inspire interaction and play in a safe outdoor space on the grounds and through individual patients rooms.  A virtual garden that always represents the cycle of nature - there are wishes and hopes, joys and contemplations.

The Healing Garden is composed of a bronze sculpture, aluminum cutouts, mosaic tiles, carved painted ceramic pieces along with other building materials. The project was made possible through the support of Carlton Long, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, and sponsored by Kim Wood, Debbie and Robert Hyde, with the construction knowledge of Jay McBride and TJ Development.

Healing Garden - Snapshots

The Windows on to East Tennessee is a four-part piece depicting the four seasons experienced in eastern Tennessee and the mountainous range made of fired, painted ceramic, oil on board and other media. It is part of the permanent collection of the City of Knoxville that is exhibited in the Knoxville Convention Center, World's Fair Park in downtown Knoxville. The piece was featured on Home & Garden Network.