Genoa Healthcare has announced the winners of its annual nationwide art contest, which drew over 700 submissions this year, more than twice as many as 2018.
Thirteen winning pieces will be featured in Genoa Healthcare’s 2020 calendar that is distributed to Genoa’s nearly 500 pharmacies across the country. Two other winning pieces will be featured on the cover of Genoa Healthcare’s annual holiday and thank you cards, and artworks will be showcased in a traveling art gallery at various events throughout 2020. Scroll through the 13 calendar pieces below.
Since 2011, Genoa Healthcare has hosted a national art contest to engage with consumers in a fun and creative way. The art contest gives consumers an outlet to share their talents in painting, drawing, and other techniques – all of which are proven to help with mental health.
“Art is a relief. It helps me to be able to put down my feelings on paper when I can’t find the words” said Leanne, whose black and white dandelion painting was chosen as one of this year’s winners. “Art is everywhere. No matter where I look I see it.”
Many of the artists who participated in the contest explained how important being creative and making art has been to their mental health. Many agree that it is an outlet for stress relief and coping.
Patricia, another winner of this year’s contest, has a deep connection to art saying, “As a survivor of child abuse, art was always a form of escape for me. A way to change the negative world to a positive world. I could create whatever I wanted and be totally happy there, if just for a moment. Now I use art as a way to de-stress and relax. To wash away the stresses of the world and create fun new ones to explore. Or to create real life into fun and colorful new way.” Patricia’s elephant drawing will be included in the calendar.
The calendar, including one piece of art for each month and one on the cover, is available at no charge at Genoa Healthcare pharmacies across the country.