Colleen Fanning's efforts made public art possible at DIA.
She's the expert who researched codes, oversaw installations, and kept relationships smooth during the art installing process. A long-time advocate for public art, Colleen is an expert at making sure the right artist is chosen for the right kind of public space. She's the liaison between officials, committees and the artists. Most importantly, she can help engineer installations using her massive vocabulary of real-world building codes.
Now she's on the cutting edge of an emerging trend affecting hospitals in the US--starting with a project for a Denver Metro area hospital: Colleen is behind a movement to help construct healing spaces for the health care industry.
Healing spaces--are mediation areas and gardens for growing organic food accessible on hospital property, and reflect a wider viewpoint toward sustainable health care.
"Ironically, hospitals don't have a place to be where you can actually heal," says Colleen Fanning when I spoke to her at !nk Coffee on Little Raven Street recently about her vision for a healing hospital environment.
Healing Spaces are designed to actually heal:
She imagines exterior spaces for doctors and patients--to help them reflect on their respective viewpoints--with rolling landscapes and trail systems, with apple groves or sensory gardens lush with lavender and other herbs that deliver a bounty of therapeutic aromas. She imagines doctors and patients walking past gardens brimming with organic tomatoes and herbs serving to inspire and nourish recovering patients.
Ink Stain is looking forward to becoming the communication voice to help Fanning Partnership find access to and win funds for new projects.
--Joseph Coplans
