Madison Gallery - Modern and Contemporary Art | Art Gallery La Jolla

THE HEALING ART FUND

In collaboration with La Jolla’s Madison Gallery and Dutch American artist, Luc Leestemaker, San Diego Magazine recently announced the launch of The Healing Art Fund. This community inspired initiative became official at San Diego Magazine’s 7th Annual Top Doctors Gala, which took place at the Natural History Museum on Saturday October 23rd. The mission of the Healing Art Fund is to work with artists to donate paintings to a medical facility in San Diego County on an annual basis. Although this is the first year that the idea was implemented, the plan is to encourage the growth of the Healing Art Fund with monetary gifts and corporate sponsorships for ongoing funding of art and cultural projects in San Diego County’s medical facilities.

“Over the last few years a large number of academic studies have shown the undeniable power that art can have in people’s lives and environments,” said Leestemaker, the artist who donated art for the first annual installment. “Inspiring art can help lower blood pressure, stimulate digestion and activate people’s brain cells. In a medical environment studies have shown that art can have powerful and positive effects on patients’ immune systems and post-surgery recovery time.”

Said Jim Fitzpatrick, CEO and Publisher of San Diego Magazine, “We have a long standing relationship with the medical community of San Diego County through our annual Top Doc Gala, and I felt that the creation of the Healing Art Fund and the partnership with Madison Gallery and Luc Leestemaker provided a great opportunity for San Diego Magazine to enhance its active role in the local community.”

This year, Madison Gallery hosted a pre-gala reception to honor the doctors who were awarded the title of San Diego Magazine’s “Top Doc.” At the event, invited guests were given the opportunity to vote for a public medical facility in San Diego to receive a painting by Leestemaker. The selected painting was revealed at the event and later announced the recipient at the 7th Annual Top Doctors Gala on October 23, 2010. This year’s winning facility is the brand new Surgical Center of San Diego, which will open its doors in November.

Yellow by yellow, and yellow next to red
Cool blue turns to the color of rose
Light and color leap from world to world
Arch and echo away in a surging of love

The spirit reigns, healing all sickness
Green sings out from newborn springs
The world will share in freshness and meaning
And hearts grow glad and light.

From "Painter's Joy"
By: Herman Hesse