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Two medical imaging rooms at Toowoomba Hospital have received a major facelift in the form of two new murals, transforming the space for staff and consumers alike.
The CT imaging rooms – originally painted bright orange – now boast an abstract sunset and calming forest by local mural artist Katie Whyte.
Toowoomba Hospital Radiographer, Courtney Dickson, has been leading this project for nearly two years, and said it was wonderful to have the murals finally becoming a reality.
“The original orange walls were really angry-looking – they were just not right for the environment that we’re in. It wasn’t a comfortable space for patients or the people who work in here,” Ms Dickson said.
“The CT rooms are such unique spaces because when people are in there, it can often be the worst day of their lives. We wanted something that was inviting and calm, and not so clinical.
Toowoomba Hospital Radiographer, Courtney Dickson
“It changes the room completely and we’ve had great feedback from staff too; just working in these rooms now makes you feel a bit happier.”
Ms Whyte said the artistic inspiration came from the fact that the CT rooms had no windows; she wanted her murals to be a way of “looking into the natural world”.
“The first mural is called On the Nature of Daylight and it’s painted in the type of sunlight that most people love, so early morning or late afternoon – those sunset colours that are warming or inviting,” Ms Whyte said.
“The second, called In the Woods, is inspired by being in forests. It’s a little darker, with lots of blues and greens. The two rooms really do have different personalities, which is usually unheard of in hospitals.”
Ms Whyte said she specifically chose to create abstract artworks in calming colours to give people a more positive experience while undergoing important scans.
“When people are in these rooms, there’s a lot of uncertainty and anxiety they’re facing. My goal with these murals was to create a peaceful and calming distraction,” she said.
“The artworks are both a bit abstract – they’re not literally a sunset, nor a forest – so you really do have to use your imagination and start thinking about other things, and you’re less likely to go deeper into that stress.
“Being able to be impactful for many people in an intimate environment like this is very special.”
The murals are funded by the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation.