Page 5 - Backyard Escape Catalog

A personal sense of place is vital to our wellbeing; it provides a respite that renews our spirit and allows us the grace to greet each day with the healing power of hope. The artwork created for Backyard Es- cape illustrates individual views of places that provide peace, solace, and connection. This collection of artworks was envisioned to offer patients, families and caregivers, within medical facilities, a healing view to replenish deep wells of peace and restore emotional balance.
A sanctuary offers a place of safety for healing and nurturing. The Backyard Escape artists have creat- ed places of sanctuary, viewed through the lens of changing seasons, changing weather and personal connection. These special places include; gardens, backyards, woodlands, meadows, rivers, ponds, and many familiar animals that share those spaces. These places also offer opportunities for stillness, pa- tience, contemplation, and meditation.
In the words of John Muir, "Allow nature's peace to flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
Backyard Escape began as a healing arts program for medical facilities, however as time passed, the artists found themselves deep in a viral pandemic that pushed them to seek places of sanctuary and healing for themselves. The artists hope these spaces of respite and beauty will provide a safe place for viewers as we all seek to renew our spirits and restore our health.
Sarah Entsminger, Steering Committee