Keeping the walls of our office adorned with art is a passion for Dr. Seminara and the team. Below is a selection of some of the pieces you will see at the office and an article about a seemingly small but very important subject: The Art of Healing.

Original works by Eric Clement

I was at my physician’s office the other day and while waiting in the reception room (for 2 hours, I might add) my eyes wandered to the overall aesthetic of the room. Grey walls with peeling paint. A poster providing information about childhood vaccines. Blue plastic chairs that provided little comfort. Plastic plants. The treatment room was not much better. Certainly it was clean, but the walls were bare with the exception of an eye chart and boxes of latex gloves.

There is something to be said about providing a pleasant calming atmosphere at the doctor’s, or in our case the dentist’s office. Understandably it is a location that most people don’t want to be, or at the very least see as a tedious chore. Art and design are two ways to alleviate the feelings of anxiety and create a warm environment, both of which can go a long way towards helping the healing process.

Original piece by Susan Pepler

In the past 20 years the design of public places has noticeably improved from the drab brutalism architecture of the 1970s. An article on this topic from The Atlantic in 2008 described it well by saying “We’ve gone from a world in which Starbucks set a cutting-edge standard for mass market design to a world in which Starbucks establishes the bare minimum.” Except for medical and dental offices, which for the most part retain their gloominess. Improvements are being made, however. Here in Montreal, the new McGill University hospital has recently opened and showcases numerous works of art from prominent local artists. The Centre d’Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal will be similarly adorned. And besides the art, the buildings themselves are modern and pleasing. This is the future of healthcare that we need and that we deserve. It is also the future that will result in happier, and healthier, patients.

Watercolour by Rita Deschenes

For more information on the artists from this article, please visit:

www.studiosusanpepler.com/

www.ericclementart.com/