Lifesaving Art
Patients and clients build financial stability through creative expression
Words by Staci Backauskas • Photos by Donato Di Natale
What began as a series of pop-up art shows featuring the work of DAP Health clients continues to honor the talent and tenacity of the artists while building avenues of income that improve their quality of life.
It was during a 2016 career workshop that DAP Health’s then-Associate Director of Personal Development and Wellness Valerio Iovino discovered that several of the clients were artists. This led him to secure local venues to display their work, which resulted in an invitation to participate in the prestigious Indian Wells Arts Festival.
Seven years later, Wellness Center Manager Cory Lujan is excited about the ongoing evolution of the project and what it means to the artists and to the community.
When visitors enter the Barbara Keller LOVE Building on the DAP Health campus, they are greeted by a gallery that displays the art of a dozen Wellness Center patients and clients. Along with sculpture and pottery under glass, there are original oils, watercolors, photographs, and high-quality reprints on the wall. Every piece is for sale, with all proceeds going to its creator.
The original intent of sharing the art was to provide additional income. “A lot of long-term survivors lost their jobs and went through their savings,” explains Lujan. “Many of them were able to get disability of some kind, but it’s very little. The goal always was to help clients supplement that and improve their quality of life.”
Wellness Center Administrative Assistant Curtis Howard recalls one of the artists making a $1,500 sale that was enough to pay his rent for the month. “He was so excited! He was in tears,” Howard remembers. “That moment told me that this is really making a difference in their lives, not just having a venue to display their work but actually making sales of their art to the general public.”
The financial benefit is clear to watercolor artist Robert Coughlin, and the results have been lifesaving. “I can think of seven or eight examples where I didn’t think I was going to make it and a painting sold off that wall,” he says. “I was able to buy groceries or pay the light bill.”
Fellow artist George Thomas, who paints vivid collages in oil, selling both originals and prints, agrees. “Having somebody buy a piece of artwork often keeps me going.”
Another way the project continues to evolve is through teaching artists to become more tech savvy. With the aid of a grant from the Houston Family Foundation, Lujan recently hired a temporary computer expert to show artists how to create their own online marketplace.
“Some of our clients have been out of the workforce for a while and may not have the computer skills necessary to succeed online,” she adds. “Even in terms of payment, some of them don’t know how to use Zelle or Venmo, so when a buyer says, ‘I really like this and I want it right now,’ but they don’t have the cash, they could lose a sale.”
Although the financial aspect is key, the benefits extend further. “I can make a piece of artwork, but if I keep it to myself, there’s no satisfaction,” says Thomas. “I want people to look at it and maybe get something out of it.”
“Just reaching out to a client and saying your artwork can come up on this wall has such an impact. Everybody’s welcome to join,” says Coughlin, who began painting when he was just 3. Returning to his love of watercolor offers not just revenue but the joy of artistic expression. “After the doctor told me to get my affairs in order, I thought it was over,” he says. “This is my voice.”
Client artwork can be viewed in the lobby of the Barbara Keller LOVE Building on DAP Health’s main Palm Springs campus, which is open during normal business hours to the general public. People can also contact Curtis Howard at 760.656.8414 or [email protected] for questions or to purchase client art. 100% of sales benefit each individual artist.