KAREN ROSSI & CHR

Making Connections
Karen enjoys the process of learning about people, sharing talents and resources.  The voyage those passions would sail surprised even her as she sipped coffee with Beth Connor on a brisk afternoon in December of 2008.  Beth, Director of Community Development at Community Health Resources (CHR) contacted Karen to investigate the potential of commissioning Karen to create a donor recognition tree. CHR was launching their new capital fundraising campaign and needed a special way to recognize the donors.    Karen listened as Beth described CHR, their integral role in the community, and their history of utilizing client artwork in their office and clinical environments. Both Karen and Beth remembered the rewarding and unique artist-in-residency Karen served at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. They discussed the role and power of art in healing and became inspired at the concept of working together on several levels.

Level One:
Taking Flight - creating the HOPE Flight
The first details that Karen and Beth discussed were the icons or symbols that could be used on a Rossi “Flight” to represent the core ideas of CHR and accurately tell their story.  Because Karen’s characters are so deeply entwined with story-telling and imagery, finding the right images to use as the Flight’s charms was a key step. 

(To read more, click here)

Level Two: 
A Way to Say Thanks - Donor Recognition Tree

Karen also began to experiment with the second level, the Donor Recognition Tree.  At one point, she was working in Norfolk and found some sculptures that she had started a long time ago with beautiful thin wires of silver braided together.  She twisted leaves into the braids, and the branch of the Donor Tree was born! CHR loved it. Subliminally it related back to their logo of a tree. CHR is growing strong in their garden of 45 communities, but with this economic climate they are needed now more than ever in additional areas.

The placement of the donor recognition tree presented CHR with a challenge.  They wanted to place the tree in a windowed wall which divides the children’s office with the adults’ waiting room. Since chairs would be placed underneath the “window,” it was decided that the tree would fit best if it were long and skinny. Four types of leaves were chosen to represent the four levels of charitable giving. 

(To read more about the Donor Recognition Tree click here)

Level Three:
Granted Wishes - A Special Public Art Commission
The third level of collaboration between CHR and Karen Rossi was the outdoor sculpture that was to be placed at their new location in Enfield, CT.   To fund the piece, CHR secured grants, presenting Karen with her first experience of funding through foundation support .  The most sizeable grant came through New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), an arts agency that was formed in 1976 and has since been developing and managing arts initiatives on local, regional, national, and international levels.  They liked Karen’s idea of working with CHR clients to create the imagery and content for the permanent piece.  

Before securing the NEFA grant funding, Karen and Beth first met with Phil Tartsinis, the developer of the Enfield property. They discussed  placement, materials, and  the aesthetics of having the piece compliment the building.  Phil drew a quick sketch that was unlike anything Karen was imagining.  After a good nights sleep, Karen began to formulate a design from Phil's drawing.  She envisioned a stone base with a large metal cube that would incorporate messages of hope and encouragement.  Creating the cube from stainless steel, she would cut the words out of the sheet metal in a style similar to her garden arches and metal chuppahs.  Phil Tartsinis, a true patron, became enthusiastic and agreed to install, landscape, and light the sculpture.  This act of generosity and support gave added value to the sculpture and was integral in securing the NEFA grant.   Karen has 20 years of experience working in an interactive manner to create artwork for hospitals across the US .  The cheerful, positive, and durable aspects of Karen’s work made it the perfect choice for this project. 

Voices of Hope
Karen's next step involved the privilege of becoming acquainted with the voices and messages of CHR.  She wanted the sculpture to be especially meaningful to those utilizing the Enfield facility.  CHR connected Karen with their clients living at Brook House, a program for six teenaged girls with emotional issues.  The Rockville Bank Foundation provided a generous amount of funding for this portion of the project.  Through a series of workshops, she worked with the girls to explore words of inspiration and create them in mosaic or cut metal.  They first met at St. Francis Hospital where they were given a tour of the nine Rossi sculptures that are currently part of the St. Francis collection.  This familiarized the girls with Karen's work and gave them a better understanding of how art can be used in the healing process of health care environments.  This experience benefited Karen as well, lending an important and meaningful glimpse into some of the real lives that CHR is benefiting.   

Karen continued to work with the girls, exploring their concepts and imagery through a like-minded project by Sarah Haskell called Woven Voices. As the plans for this outdoor sculpture continue to come together, Karen’s constant hope is that her artwork will be an inspiration and encouragement to many.