Aug
Robert Cameron and Art for Healing
Posted under Charities, |
A High-Spirited Donation from Robert Cameron
In June, 2008, Art for Healing (AfH) received the largest donation to date from artist Robert Cameron (1911 - ). Cameron, a noted aerial photographer, donated 157 of his large-scale, aerial photographs depicting cities, towns, parks, and environmentally challenged locations around the world.
Cameron started his photographic career in 1933 at the Des Moines Register. He worked for the War Department as a civilian photographer during World War II. He subsequently moved to San Francisco where he published his first ABOVE book in 1969. He has since published 16 additional titles with more than 2.5 million copies in print. At 97, Cameron still comes weekly to his office in downtown San Francisco to manage the business. When he approached Art for Healing in late 2007, he was closing an environmentally-themed exhibit of his work at The Presidio Trust.
No longer able to hang out of helicopters, he spends his time assembling books, arranging exhibitions of his work, and currently is preparing a fine-art photographic portfolio for sale. Recently on exhibit in China, Cameron's 2008 donation is a fine example of the artist's oeuvre.
At 36 X 47 inches, to view these photographs in person is to be transported "above" the Earth. As Angus Whyte, Executive Director of Art for Healing, remarked: "They have wall power." That is an understatement. To even have a few of these images in an installation is a great meditative experience for patients in recovery. The full set of images is on display on Art for Healing's homepage.
We receive donations from many different types of benefactors, but I find the donations from artists to be the most heart-warming stories. When an artist gives a work of art, there is both a deep personal connection to the work and to our cause. Likewise, when representatives from healthcare facilities come to our storage unit to make their selections, they tend to gravitate toward these creator-donated pieces. It may be that artists are more keenly aware of audience and so their art is a better match, but I also think that something of the artist's benevolent personality rubs off.
I would strongly encourage any artist who is interested in donating his or her work to a good cause to consider a donation to Art for Healing. Through your art you can offer reprieve, reflection, enjoyment, and opportunity to heal those who are ill.
Benjamin Sisson
Assistant Director, Art for Healing
Art for Healing provides works of art to enhance the quality of life for the ill, their caregivers, and loved ones. The art they provide transforms these typically sterile spaces into comfortable, more humane places that nourish our sense of well-being, improve recuperation, and boost staff morale. By incorporating fine arts into the delivery of healthcare, AfH revitalizes clinical settings, rejuvenates patients and personnel, and strengthens the holistic recovery process.
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