St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Chooses Macomb Artist's Work for New Facilty

When St. Joseph Mercy Oakland opens its state-of-the-art South Patient Tower in 2014, the work of countless Michigan artists, including one Macomb Township photographer, will decorate its walls.

Kristen Kay, a studio portrait and landscape photographer, was among 84 Michigan artists selected by St. Joseph to provide artwork for the new eight-story South Patient Tower in Pontiac.

More than 225 artists from throughout Michigan applied to have their artwork considered and a total of almost 850 pieces of artwork will be selected, including 47 major commissions. Funding for the artwork is being provided by private donors.

All of the artwork selected will "support the healing journey, represent the community and present elements of nature or water and landscapes," according to a press release from St. Joseph.

This is an ideal fit for Kay, who specializes in lighthouses, landscapes and fine art, but places spcial emphasis on "healing art," applying "conscious harmonic healing intention" to every work, according to her website.

Both the purchased and commissioned work will represent a variety of media, including sculpture; two-dimensional and three- dimensional artwork; original art; oil, watercolor and acrylic paintings; limited edition prints, giclee prints, mixed-media art, glass, mosaics, wall sculpture, fabric art, collages and photography.

The newly acquired works will be placed in the new main lobby, elevator lobbies, waiting rooms, corridors, consultation rooms, patient rooms and public areas.