In 2005, the Gainesville Fine Arts Association (GFAA) and
the Southeastern Integrated Medical Health Facility (SIMED) developed an
"art partnership". Since then, for 15 years, every four months, GFAA
artists decorated the walls of SIMED with a new art exhibit. This partnership
allows GFAA artists to get exposure for their artwork and provides the doctors,
nurses, staff, and patients who frequent SIMED with uplifting and eye-catching
artwork.
In February 2020, a new exhibit was hung in SIMED; then the
COVID-19 pandemic struck and we went into lock down. The exhibit remained on
the walls for 9 months, but finally, we were able to put up a new exhibit on 5
December 2020! Five GFAA members (all wearing masks and passing the SIMED
sentinel's COVID questions and temperature check) were allowed to enter the
building to hang the artwork. As always, this happened on a Saturday, when the
facility is closed. The artists drove their cars to the front entrance of SIMED
one at a time and old artwork was exchanged for new, outside of the building.
In pre-pandemic days, the artists and their loved ones could come in and enjoy
the exhibit, but now, SIMED of necessity must limit entrance to those who work
at SIMED and the patients who come for appointments. This is a virtual
representation of the exhibit so the artists, as well as a wider audience, may
see the delightful, inspiring, and remarkable art that now hangs at SIMED.
ENTER ART EXHIBIT HERE
