Many of our colleagues possess the gift of artistry, the natural ability to create beautiful or expressive art. We may not often be aware of their talent, but sometimes, when are lucky enough, they share their gifts with patients, visitors and colleagues.
Saint Mary's NICU nurse, Dana Marker, RN, stands beside one of her most recent painted window creations.
A self-taught artist, Dana Marker, RN, a NICU nurse at Saint Mary’s Hospital, paints scenes and vignettes on the glass window in Saint Mary’s NICU and throughout the Women and Infants Center. Usually based on the season, the current work is a Christmas themed creation. Santa is holding a baby, which happens to be one of the most recent little patients in Saint Mary’s NICU.
An overnight NICU nurse at Saint Mary’s for the last ten years, Dana paints when her shift allows. She also makes seasonal cards for the mothers whose precious gifts she cares for in the NICU. “This job reminds me that having a healthy baby is a privilege,” she said. “All babies come out blue and then they unfold like a flower. They are like little seeds that I care for and cultivate.”
A NICU nurse since 1983, Dana has worked in Texas, New Jersey and prior to her 10 years at Saint Mary’s, she worked at Danbury Hospital. That is where she began to develop her window painting. While navigating her own personal health challenges, Dana looked to window art as a form of therapy. “I think everybody is an artist. They all have it within them. I think it’s a great outlet and hobby.”
A hobby that the colleagues and patients in Saint Mary’s Women and Infants Center are blessed to be the recipients of. “I do solicit ideas and really appreciate critiques. It’s just fun and I like to bring a little light and beauty to the space.”