PUTNAM — Staff at Day Kimball Healthcare, with help and guidance from the artists at Artique – a Paint Bar in Putnam, have been volunteering their time to paint one mural of a local landmark each month for the last four months, to beautify one of the main stairwells at Day Kimball Hospital. The series of murals was completed this week.

The murals are based on photographs taken and submitted by DKH employees. Each mural represents one of the four seasons, and each has a unique story behind when and why the photo was taken as well as some special connections to those in the Northeast Connecticut community.

The project was spearheaded by DKH’s employee Wellness Committee in an effort to provide employees with a way to relax, unwind and get to know each other better outside of working hours, while also helping to beautify the hospital with art that has a strong community connection.

The first mural was painted in May and features a spring scene from the Putnam River Trail. The mural was based on a photograph taken by DKH employee Dennis Gagnon.

The second mural was completed in June and features a summer scene of the sunflowers at Buttonwood Farm in Griswold. The photo the mural was based on was taken by Abby Soriero-Durand, oncology social worker at Day Kimball Hospital.

In July the third mural was unveiled. It featured an autumn scene of Hibbard Farm in Woodstock. The original photo of the scene was taken by John Rondeau and submitted by Patricia Holland-Caprera, director of the Hematology/Oncology Department at Day Kimball Hospital. This mural is particularly special because Hibbard Farm has belonged to the family of Susan Hibbard, who also works in the Hematology/Oncology Department, for generations. This year, Susan celebrates 40 years of work and dedication at Day Kimball Hospital and her family celebrates 100 years of dairy farming at Hibbard Farm.

The final of the four murals was unveiled in August and features a winter scene from a river in Pomfret, based on a photograph submitted by DKH staff member Jessica Dingwell.

The public can see the murals in person at Day Kimball Hospital in the stairwell across from the cafeteria. 

 

.