University Hospital photo project signifies commitment to serve all of Ohio
Statewide photography display brings sense of comfort, belonging to every patient.
When photographer Rebecca Nieminen was treated for kidney cancer in 2024, she discovered firsthand how uplifting art can be for people facing illness.
It’s one of the reasons she’s honored to have contributed her work to a massive collection of Ohio-based photos selected to create a welcoming and peaceful atmosphere for every person who visits the new, 26-story University Hospital at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
“When I was being treated, I realized how important art really is in hospital settings to make people feel better,” says Nieminen, based in Kinsman in Ohio’s northeastern corner. “I had always had good health prior to that, and it was a whole new revelation that it really can make a difference.”
Several of Nieminen’s photos are among about 600 representing all 88 Ohio counties that adorn the corridors of patient floors. The goal is to not only bring comfort but also to remind visitors and staff that the hospital is committed to serving people in every corner of Ohio.
The project was the vision of John J. Warner, MD, chief executive officer of the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and executive vice president at Ohio State.
“It’s our aspiration and our commitment that our new University Hospital will build on Ohio State’s land-grant mission and be a beacon of hope and healing for all Ohioans,” Dr. Warner says. “So, it’s only fitting that the communities we serve across the entire state are reflected throughout the hospital. Our hope is that this carefully selected collection of photos will help make every person who comes to us for care feel welcome, encouraged and a little more at home.”
Photos highlight Ohio's diversity
Photos as big as 30-by-40 inches capture every season and every span of Ohio. There are rolling hills and cornfields. There are lighthouses and iconic water towers. There are sunsets, hot air balloons and frozen waterfalls.
Adrian Boysel, who led the team curating the photos, can attest that these types of images were chosen for a reason.
“There’s a lot of research out there around healing environments, and how scenes of nature are to patients’ benefit. We really wanted to extend this healing element into the inpatient environment,” says Boysel, associate director of Interior Design Planning for the Wexner Medical Center.
Half of the patients who’ll be admitted to the new Ohio State University Hospital live outside of Franklin County, with 35% of people coming from outside of central Ohio’s seven counties, says Andrew Thomas, MD, MBA, the chief clinical officer for the Wexner Medical Center.
“We’re here as a resource for patients from all around the state,” Dr. Thomas says. “When patients and their family members walk our halls, we want them to understand our commitment to all of the state and to see a little bit of themselves.”
The search for photos from Ohio's 88 counties
To gather the high-resolution photos in the collection, the medical center’s interior design team spent five months scouring social media and fine art websites for both professional photographers and hobbyists, Boysel says. They also reached out to local organizations and state agencies that feature Ohio art in their campaigns.
The result is roughly six or seven photos from each county, with each floor displaying about 40 photos featuring the beauty of Ohio.
Most of the roughly 100 photographers who snapped the images are from Ohio or have a connection to the state, and placards near the images indicate who took the photos and where they were taken.
Planners sought to ensure photos represent the personality of each county and include identifiable, meaningful locations that reflect Ohio’s diversity, Boysel says.
They also considered other factors. For example, patients in the maternity care units are treated to images of baby animals, including mares and a colt grazing in a pasture, an eaglet stretching its wings under the sharp eye of an eagle and a duckling enjoying a dip alongside a duck.
Sharon McConnell, based in Reynoldsburg in central Ohio, was among those whose photos were selected.
“I hope they help create a joyous, welcoming space for new or growing families as they welcome their little miracle,” she says.
Plans are to create a virtual gallery to make all the artwork accessible to the public.
Ohio photographers helping University Hospital patients heal through art
Ian Adams of Cuyahoga Falls, just north of Akron, contributed more than 80 photos from dozens of counties. One of his favorites is an image of ice fishing shanties on the frozen Lake Erie off South Bass Island.
“I’m fascinated by the tremendous variety that Ohio has in its natural, rural and historical areas and its gardens,” says Adams, who’s been photographing professionally for 35 years. “I can’t think of a greater honor than to have images of the places that I value so much used in a health care environment.”
More than 60 photos from Columbus-based photographer Randall Schieber are featured in the collection, including some from a book of Ohio images that he published with Adams.
Schieber says art can support the mission of health care workers who not only do all they can to help people get better but also provide a sense of security.
“A lot of thought was given into selecting images that would be calming,” Schieber says. “That was part of what I enjoyed about this project – finding images that have a sense of peace.”
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