Artist Colleen Wall knows what it’s like to spend long stretches of time in a sterile hospital room.
Diagnosed with cancer while pregnant, she turned her hand to art.
Ever since she has dedicated her artistic talents to bringing a “window view” to patients at a Cancer Center.
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Ten of her murals were recently installed in treatment rooms at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, NY, offering patients an escape to nature and a reminder of hope.
“Spending long periods of time in a hospital room can feel isolating,” said Colleen. “These window paintings are meant to help patients feel as though they are not confined to a sterile room but instead can take an imaginary journey outside into nature.
“It’s my way of sharing the hope that helped me through my own challenges.”
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Wall’s journey began in 1995 with her own cancer diagnosis. This fueled her passion for using art to uplift others, leading to an Artist in Residence role at Women’s & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo.
It was there a patient’s remark about the unchanging view from their window sparked her idea for the “LandEscape” series.
One morning, Colleen entered a patient’s room and remarked, “It’s such a beautiful day outside!” The patient, looked up from her bed and replied, “It always looks the same from here.”
This simple exchange led Colleen to explore ways of brightening and uplifting the spaces that patients spend so much time in.
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Her paintings incorporate elements of nature, roads, and paths, inviting viewers into the scene and offering a small escape.
The Curatolo Family Endowment has funded Colleen’s project, and the murals aim to give every patient a view of a sunny, peaceful place, offering a mental escape and a reminder that better days are ahead.
To learn more about Colleen Wall’s mission and to view the window paintings, visit www.colleendarbydesigns.com.