Air Date: June 13, 2019
Gail Rosenbloom Kaplan is a local artist with international fame. Her work spans multiple mediums but eight years ago Gail got the itch to step out of her studio and start working in the community. Children’s Hospital of Michigan came calling.
Gail: They said we have an opportunity for you for an artist to work in the hospital with pediatric patients. It feels natural because I work a lot with kids.
So, two days a week Gail sets up a mini studio at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. The response has been overwhelming.
Gail: For the population of kids I am working with this is like super exciting and for the kids to have a reason to get out of their bed and to walk down the hall to have fun rewarding for me and for them as well and here it was using art as the venue to communicate and a reason to talk. When the kids are sitting there they forget where they are and so do I.
Gail offers two types of artistic projects – painting on a t-shirt or sand art on a sticky board. The kids get to choose their design and with Gail’s help they immerse themselves in the world of art.
Mitch: What is it about art that you feel is healing especially for children?
Gail: Well what’s healing about it is it gives them the opportunity not just to do a project but to deal with being in the hospital and having just something to focus on other than their illness. They feel empowered by it and they leave and they are excited that they have done something new and it’s just a total rewarding job and as an artist I feel super gratified.
Gail Rosenbloom Kaplan is showing the true healing power of art right here in the heart of Detroit.
