COLUMBUS, Ohio — Being in a hospital can feel gloomy and sad with the artificial lighting and plain walls, but there’s one group trying to change that.

What You Need To Know

  • Project Sunshine aims to brighten hospital hallways 

  • Six Ohio Health hospitals now have galleries of artwork made by associates and physicians from the hospitals

  • A former Grady Memorial hospital nurse who was born at the hospital has her artwork featured 

Karen Aronhalt has spent the majority of her life inside this hospital.

“It’s my home,” said Karen Aronhalt, a retired nurse.

Walking through the hallways of Ohio Health Grady Memorial Hospital, Aronhalt should feel at home. 

“I was born here, in 1954, and I started working here in 1972 at the age of 17,” Aronhalt said.

She worked here for 52 years before retiring.

After, it was in retirement where she developed a passion for art and a skill which could also help brighten the halls of the hospital she loved.

“I’m glad that patients and visitors can come through this hallway and see all of the great things that have been done,” Aronhalt said.

Aronhalt’s art is one of several pieces hanging through the halls of Ohio Health, known as “Project Sunshine.” 

“A lot of our halls were kind of stark and empty very clinical, and they thought, we could really could brighten them up and it would be wonderful for both patients and associates,” said Kara Coates, advisor, provider and associate well-being for Ohio Health.

Six Ohio Health hospitals now have galleries of artwork made by associates and physicians from the hospitals.

“We know that it helps with compassion fatigue for our front-line workers we know that it helps take that moment where you can set things aside and have that mindful well-being moment to yourself,” Coates said.

And for Aronhalt, it’s emotional seeing her artwork in a place she calls “home."

“It puts color on the walls and I really like that patient can come through and see it and see what we do in our free time,” Aronhalt said.