Newton's FenceArt Donated To Lift Coronavirus Patients' Spirits

NEWTON, MA – For years now, the work of local artists has been displayed in local neighborhoods as part of the city's FenceArt project. But when Dr. Michael Henry, a Newton resident who serves as the medical director of the Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation and director of somatic therapy at Massachusetts General Hospital recently visited an alternative care facility in Boston that was opened to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, he figured a little bit of art could go a long way in brightening the day of patients at the facility.

Henry worked in partnership with Newton Cultural Development Director Paula Gannon and Ellen Fisher, the director of the FenceArt project and co-director of Newton Open Studios, to have 20 fence banners that had previously hung around Newton delivered to Boston Hope as a means of providing some art therapy to coronavirus patients.

The banners were collected over a span of just two days and delivered to Dr. Louisa Sylvia, the associate Director of the Dauten Family Center and director of health and wellness for the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital's Home Base program.

“As we know, art is a very helpful tool in therapy and well-being,” Gannon said. “The power of art and power of music in terms of human emotion and healing is so important. So to offer that at this time in a place like a makeshift hospital that has been opened up during this pandemic, there’s no words for that.”

The banners depict pieces of original art that are then printed onto pieces of canvas which can then be displayed on fences at five locations around Newton. The art project involves rotating the pieces of art – which are displayed in groups of four or five – from location to location from early spring until late fall.

A total of 13 local artists – Christie Allan-Piper, Sherry Autor, John Bryer, Howard Fineman, Lisa Goren, Grey Held, Deborah Hiatt, Dora Hsiung, Robert Hsiung, Amy Kaufman, Mary Beth Maisel and Gene Pogany – all donated to the hospital project.

The banners have since been displayed at Boston Hope, where Gannon hopes patients will draw the same inspiration from original art works that local residents in Newton have since the FenceArt project began.

“With the artists knowing they could help in some way and offer some sort of help at this time is just so comforting to them,” Gannon said. “And coming from a community where we can view those (banners) every day and for us to know as a community that this project that we hold near and dear is now in Boston and helping at this time makes us very happy and proud that we can help in a small way – a very small way – but it is something and we’re proud to be part of it.”