Hippocrates, the father of Western
medicine and the attributed author of the
Hippocratic oath, lectured to his students
under a plane tree that he planted in
the ffth century B.C. in Kos, Greece.
Maybe that mixing of science and art
under a plane tree encouraged a natural
approach to medicine.
As an artist and a country potter, I
grew up in a healthy, natural environment
that included sitting as a wondering child
observer under, but mainly in, many
species of trees that also demanded
a certain understanding of the world
made clay soup bowls fred with wood in
the Astoria Dragon Kiln for theWomen’s
Resource Centers in Astoria and Tillamook
as fundraisers for both groups. It’s been a
valuable journey that has expanded the
focus of my work from the heart of my
experiences to a broader community and
has shown me that it is something I was
born to do.
Creating the clay cups for the Cancer
Care Center provides an opportunity to
further explore community relationships
while continuing my intimate conversation
with the symbolic and practical use of
natural rawmaterials in the making
and discovery of the work. All these
transformed “bits of life” are
embedded and melted into the
surface of the clay cups.
For Cancer Care Center patients,
I hope the clay cup brings you
comfort and delight when touching
it to your lips to drink.
I also hope you have the time to
touch it with a sensitivity that notes
its gravity, texture and the way each
unique material refects or absorbs
light. While you are drinking from
the cup, close your eyes and ask
yourself how it feels holding it in
your hands.
Art andmedicine
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Artwork on the walls
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Everyone seemed to be seeking
relationships with something—the arts,
nature or caring individuals. Within
the group, there was a consistent
thankfulness for life itself.
While building the CMH/OHSU Cancer
Care Center, Columbia Memorial Hospital
(CMH) has considered many of these
needs. Its multidisciplinary staf matches
services to needs, much like a comfort
quilt or hat is pieced together for a patient.
CMH embraces the Planetree philosophy
of patient-centered care, providing
a holistic approach and encouraging
healing in all dimensions of the lives of
cancer patients and their families.
Part of the Planetree philosophy is
working with community groups to bring
art from the community into the care of
our patients. A unique collaboration with
Clatsop Community College combines
art, ceramics and photography with
a theme-based approach to the
Cancer Care Center. The artwork will
enhance the center with hope, healing and
strength.
In addition, local potters have created
ceramic cups that will be given to each
patient at the end of treatment. The cup
is flled with hope for healing from the
CMH staf, plus good wishes from talented
community potters. Sharing these gifts
and talents with patients will help support
them and demonstrate the caring and
concern of our community.
circling around me.
I feel connected to the Planetree
model because I have spent the last 30
years exploring similar themes in my art.
I most often want to create work that
conveys a sense of intimacy, an emotional
resonance and a deeper spiritual human
experience. I want these relationships
revealed in a fresh and honest way.
When Randy McClelland approached
me with the idea to make clay cups for
the new CMH/OHSU Cancer Care Center, it
made sense. For many years my students,
other professional artists and I have
www . columbiamemorial . org
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