THE MEANING OF PLACE
Challenge:
How can we help long-term hospital patients staying at the SECU Family House feel connected to the world and to their roots?
Solution:
Use art to navigate toward home and healing.
Process
My Art Direction course collaborated with the Daniel X. Kelley Gallery at the SECU Family House to create a gallery titled "The Meaning of Place." Inspired by Paula Scher’s maps, I created work rooted in personal significance that could resonate with patients navigating long-term hospital stays.
I chose to create a map reflecting my time studying abroad in Seville, Spain. I began by creating a color palette of bright, earthy tones to capture the city’s warmth, vibrancy, and emotional pull. Seville is a sunny city filled with orange trees and lush greenery, and I wanted the color choices to evoke the comfort and energy of that atmosphere.
Using Adobe Illustrator, I mapped the places that held meaning during my time in Seville. To honor the theme of "The Meaning of Place," I included personal details such as my host family's names, the neighborhood where I lived, and memories that shaped my experience. The winding, organic flow of the composition reflects the many times I got lost wandering Seville’s narrow streets. The piece is presented entirely in Spanish, mirroring the immersion of living and learning in a new culture.
The first two images above show our exhibit at the Daniel X. Kelley Gallery where our work is now displayed. To bring my map to life, I transformed it into a physical product, a custom luggage tag shown in the third image. It is a small but powerful symbol of travel, memory, and personal growth.
The Results
Now on display at the SECU Family House, the artwork will be seen by thousands of patients and their families over the next six months. My hope is that it offers them a sense of connection, inspiration, and comfort just as Seville offered me.
