June 20, 2024
The reunification of childhood friends Lisa Rutter, a Licensed Practical Nurse at the Sturgeon Community Hospital, left, and art teacher Lindsay Bracken, helped to inspire the creation of a two-piece mural installation at the hospital in their hometown of St. Albert. Photo by Sharman Hnatiuk.
Story & photo by Sharman Hnatiuk
ST. ALBERT — Patients and providers at the Sturgeon Community Hospital have a colourful reason to smile thanks to a chance encounter between childhood friends.
For years, Lisa Rutter, Licensed Practical Nurse, dreaded opening the blinds in some of the rooms on the medicine unit at the Sturgeon due to the view of a very close, very boring-looking brick wall.
After running into Lindsay Bracken, her friend from their elementary school days, at a St. Albert grocery store — and upon learning she had become a local art teacher at a Bellerose Composite High School — Rutter got an idea.
“I was disheartened by one patient who had been with us for months who told me she didn’t want me to open the blinds,” says Rutter, “so I messaged to ask Lindsay if her students would paint a mural to beautify the space for patients.
“I wanted to advocate for our long-term patients who look at that wall for weeks, or even months, at a time. Our unit manager and site leadership were very supportive of the idea.”
Last July, Bracken came for a tour of the hospital along with her two sons to see the unit and get a better understanding of the brick-wall view from some of the patient rooms. Inspired by her son’s reaction to the idea of creating and installing an art piece, Bracken extended an invite to his class at Murial Martin Elementary, located next door to Bellerose, to collaborate on the project with Grade 11 international baccalaureate art students for the 2023-34 school year.
The students went on to create two bright, bold installations that feature mountains, fields and flowers, and a castle. All art supplies for the two-piece mural were fully funded by Bellerose. In May, the two pieces were installed by the Facilities, Maintenance & Engineering team at the Sturgeon.
Since their unveiling, staff and physicians from throughout the hospital have swung by to sneak a peek at the homegrown artwork.
“The students did such an incredible job and have added a boost of colour and excitement for our patients,” says Rutter. “I hope this is the first of many collaborations with aspiring artists in our community.”
