The Jackson Hospital Foundation's Healing Art collection has grown steadily since the 2008 acquisition of 15 paintings from the Montgomery Art Guild/First Alabama (now Regions) Bank show and competition. Former Foundation board chairman Laura Harmon and foundation president Janet McQueen secured the placement of these iconic paintings by noted Montgomery artists though the cooperation of both entities.
The two were soon joined in the quest for additional art by Katherine Gayden, whose father, Jimmie Sabel, had also served on the foundation board decades earlier. An artist himself who actively championed the local art community, Sabel envisioned businesses like Jackson Hospital filled with local art. It is a dream that came true with a collection that now numbers more than 260 pieces by 175 artists and photographers in the River Region.
Jackson Hospital received the inaugural Helen Steineker Community Award from the Montgomery Business Committee for the Arts in 2016. The award posthumously honors Steineker, who managed the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra for more than 25 years. Jackson Hospital was honored for its unique program that has turned the hospital's hallways into an art museum; one that never closes.
While you are visiting Jackson Hospital, please take time to enjoy the Healing Art Collection of original works by Central Alabama artists. Art brochures are available in the main lobby of the hospital to guide visitors to specific artists and favorite pieces. This permanent collection is made possible by tax-deductible donations to the Jackson Hospital Foundation and through the generosity of our featured artists. For more information about supporting this project, please contact the Jackson Hospital Foundation at 334-293-6940.
Download a Healing Art Collection guide here.