visual art + medicine = good consilience

This summer, I learned a cool word that I’d hoped to bring into my art head space.
Consilence = con, indicating a being or bringing together of several objects + saliō meaning to bound, jump / salient – leaping . As I am understanding its general use is a “jumping together” (to leap) of several objects, in particular, different academic subjects, especially science and the humanities.

I have been invited by Executive Director, James Burns Ph.D, to discuss my artwork at Western Spirit Museum this coming week, and who better to partner me with than Jennifer Hartmark-Hill MD. Hartmark-Hill, among other things, is the Director of Narrative Medicine and an Associate Professor at University of Arizona College of Medicine. Our paths have crossed before.

Communicating with Jen last week, she notes, Narrative Medicine is all about creating space for stories, valuing lived experiences of patients and acting in a healing and compassionate way in response to values and preferences for care. Knowing people’s stories can also richly inform shared decision-making and is a more ethical way to practice medicine. Not to mention that this approach also aligns with our need to understand address the social determinants of health for our patients.

I will be talking about some of my human figure studies and showing images. I’ll have a few  paintings on hand. I plan to discuss some process, including details that set up subject narrative. This might be the first time I talk about the work in almost the same way I record my process, here in my blog.

The museum’s jumping point is the work of Paul Calle, currently on view in their exhibition space. Calle covered many areas in his lifetime, including medical art. Arrive early to see his work.

Who: Western Spirit Museum – Virginia G. Piper Theater
What:  Medical Art: From Paul Calle
Monica Aissa Martinez /Jennifer Hartmark-Hill, MD
Where: 3830 N Marshall Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
When: Thursday, October 27, 2022
Start Time: 6:00 PM
Join us! There is no charge for this event.
For more info and to register for event call → 480-686-9539
Info→ website event link 

Thank you James, for the invitation and for creating a space for this type of conversation.
#TheNarritiveInArtAndMedicine

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©2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY MONICA AISSA MARTINEZ

a practice of art-making…with the medical students

Cynthia Standley, Director of Art in Medicine, reaches out to see if I am interested in facilitating another Art and Anatomy Workshop for first-year students at the University of Arizona, College of Medicine.

I am. Yes!

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Day 1: Thursday
I arrive to a classroom that includes a variety of art supplies (traditional and non-traditional) as well as a selection of medical models available for reference. Medical students enter the classroom and I can feel their excitement.

I introduce myself and speak about the general purpose of the workshop. Many students are here to make an artwork for their Ceremony of Appreciation, in honor of their willed body donors. Others are here only because they want to make art. Everyone is welcome.

Supplies have been chosen and almost immediately, I see some students begin to put something down on drawing paper. They’ve arrived, eager and prepared.

We have a thoughtful, creative and fun-filled afternoon. Below, I share process shots as well as completed artworks.

Composition ncludes some donor history.

There’s a little fashion mixing it up with the optic chiasm.

The bronchial tree.

I move from student to student, discussing each composition, including materials, form and content. I get a good sense of their ideas as well as their observation skills. I also appreciate and enjoy their imagination. 

Day 1 comes to an end with a photo of a few of the participants and their art.

Day2: Friday
On this second day, a larger group arrives. I’m please to see some students from the day before.

The workshop begins with introductions, followed by another afternoon of art-making.

In each eye is a galaxy…

I see a labyrinth…

Title: Whole

See the figures? Or do you hear them?

 

Happy Digestive System

Carefully representing areas of the brain.

Wonderful work is completed!

I hope each of you had fun and learned something that you didn’t know before.

Here is what I learned:
Tea bags (of all shapes) can be used as a collage element! #VeryCool
I now know, the smallest bone in the body is called the stapes. It was pointed out to me by a student and discussed with the group at the table. #HelpingMeToRemember
I better understand how students learn from their body donor. I got a sense of the subtle way in which human connection is formed. #Honor

Thanks to everyone who participated. Thank you Cindi, for inviting me back.
My best to each of you.
#Appreciation #Creativity #Observation #Fun #ArtAndMedicine

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©2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY MONICA AISSA MARTINEZ