STUDENTS USE PUBLIC ART WORK TO INSPIRE A HEALTHIER MANATEE COUNTY

BY CHRISTOPHER TITTEL

Step into Regatta Plaza, located between the Manatee River and Manatee Memorial Hospital, and you’ll come upon a metal sculpture featuring two large hearts.

Actress Jane Seymour and her Open Hearts Foundation developed this work of public art along Bradenton’s celebrated Riverwalk in 2019 to inspire the community to help others.

Cross Manatee Avenue and you’ll find on the main campus of the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (DOH-Manatee) the most recent artwork to inspire Bradenton residents and visitors.

Hedda Matza-Haughton, co-chair of Arts for Health Sarasota-Manatee (AFHSM), recently teamed up with Steven Piskoty, artistic mentor with the Student Community Innovation Program (SCIP) run through the Suncoast Science Center’s Faulhaber Fab Lab, and with DOH-Manatee Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Bencie to challenge a class of 15 student artists to research and develop works of public art addressing current public health topics.

Hedda Matza-Haughton, co-chair of Arts for Health Sarasota-Manatee (left) Dr. Jennifer Bencie, health officer at the Florida Department of Health in Manatee

The works of the Fab Lab student artists who embraced the project are now on display at 410 Sixth Ave. East in Bradenton, located in the main lobby and along the corridors of the building. A nutrition themed sculpture also appears in the “food forest,” located between the main building and the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) services center.

Public art is not an art form. It’s simply a way of improving the changing
environment through the arts.

— Malcolm Miles Researcher of Critical and Cultural Theory, Art, and Urbanism

“What you see as you enter and proceed through a health facility affects your mind, body, and spirit,” said Matza-Haughton. “These works do more than just beautify DOH-Manatee. Each piece educates viewers on important public health topics, while focusing on the many services that DOH-Manatee offers. More importantly, they inspire viewers to learn more about the health of the community in which they live, work, and play, as well as to join the Manatee HealthCare Alliance in its efforts to improve the health of the community on so many different fronts.”

In addition to each student conducting their own independent research, Matza-Haughton said all students toured DOH-Manatee and learned about the services offered. Themes later emerged during a brainstorming session among the students that Matza Haughton said she was happy to facilitate.

“Teenagers, health care agencies, and AFHSM are working together to help make a difference,” said Matza-Haughton. “Incorporating the arts is a powerful tool for education and prevention.”

She mentioned the piece on opioid addiction, in particular, as creating this inspiration.

“The artistic depiction of a person literally climbing out of a prescription bottle filled with pills offers hope that there is a path out of addiction,” said Matza-Haughton, “particularly to viewers and the families and friends of viewers who are currently struggling with or who have overcome addiction.”

Artist Danny Berry echoed Matza-Haughton. “I felt very content knowing that I could use these skills to bring awareness to substance abuse,” said Berry, “as I have had personal connections to people whose lives were, unfortunately, negatively impacted by the issue.”

The Suncoast Science Center launched SCIP in 2020, offering high school and college students a unique chance to impact the community through creativity and innovation. With guidance from expert mentors and access to state-of-the-art fabrication equipment, students collaborate to create solutions to community issues.

“Traditionally, students are drawn to the Fab Lab because of their interest in STEM fields – that is, fields related to science, technology, engineering, and math,” said Piskoty. “It was nothing short of amazing to work on a summer-long art project with a special group of students eager to learn how to use machines, software, and techniques that they had never used before and turn public health topics into thought provoking works of public art.”

Berry said the SCIP project, especially elements of the project involving the use of 3-D design software and printers and laser engravers, has even inspired him to continue his pursuit of the arts into his college years.

“Now, I’m headed to Duke University, where I will study mechanical engineering,” said Berry. “I strongly believe being a part of SCIP made me unique.”

Dr. Bencie is a member of the AFHSM Board and a leading supporter of the arts playing a role in promoting both physical and mental well-being across the community.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to host the works of these artists and public health
champions on our campus,” said Dr. Bencie.

For more information on Arts for
Health Sarasota-Manatee, visit
Artsforhealthsarasotamanatee.org

For more information on the
Suncoast Science Center’s
Faulhaber Fab Lab, visit
Suncoastscience.org

For more information on the
Florida Department of Health
in Manatee County, visit
Manatee.FloridaHealth.gov