Document text
Local artist paints murals on hospital walls Dec 07, 2006 12:00 AM A A A baby zebra rests on an African savannah, a young giraffe stretches his long neck to grasp acacia leaves from an overhanging tree with his probing tongue, and lions share a moment of quiet nurturing: these are some of the colorful giclee images that Adele Hiles has recently produced from the murals she has painted in a local hospital's childrens' rooms. Since 2003, Ms. Hiles has been working at Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford, transforming bare, white walls to color-filled scenes of intriguing, non-threatening wild and domestic animals to distract and entertain small children and adults alike. The murals have been painted on the walls of rooms in ER, Short Stay, Pediatrics and PACU wings of the hospital, where children get their chemo-therapy, shots, stitches or wait patiently for a doctor's care. These same scenes are now captured in smaller-sized giclee reproductions and are premiering this Friday in an opening for her newest work at Claycomb's Plaza Mall at 40 N Main St., Ashland. Hiles paints murals and large scale works on canvas, but she wanted to make her art work more accessible to the general public and felt that smaller reproductions might appeal to new parents or couples with toddlers for children's bedrooms and playrooms. Her images are filled with energy and while representing the animal realistically, still show the imprint of her art training with lively, full spectrum color and expressive brushwork. These are not cartoon animal murals, but rather an expressive explosion of brushstrokes that capture the vitality and serenity of animals in their native settings. In collaboration with Native Imports, and Bugaboo of Ashland, Hiles will display her new prints and paintings at the Plaza Mall. Refreshments will be served with live music povided by Billy Rock and Friends.