At Epic Eye, we believe in the healing power of art. Our stunning visual work is so much more than just decorative. Countless studies have shown that art can relax, rejuvenate, and even offer profound medical benefits.

A visit to the dentist, doctor's office, or the hospital can be filled with stress, anxiety, fear, and other troubling and exhausting emotions. The right artwork can relieve those feelings and provide therapeutic effects. When we are at our most vulnerable, art has the ability to deeply move us. It can be a focal point in a confined environment, giving us a much needed emotional escape. Research has proven the right artistic images have a calming effect on patients and their families. As far back as Florence Nightingale, medical providers have described how patients need beauty -- not just for the mind and spirit, but for the body as well.

Consider these recent medical studies:

• Patients reported better pain control when viewing a nature scene, especially if the sounds of nature could also be heard.
• Murals offered significant decreases in pain frequency, pain intensity, and anxiety levels among burn victims.
• Breast cancer patients had less anxiety, fatigue, and distress during chemotherapy when exposed to scenes from nature.
• Dental patients had less stress and better heart function when they could see a mural in the waiting room.
• Patients about to go into surgery had lower blood pressure when serene nature scenes were mounted on the ceiling above their gurneys.
• Heart surgery patients being cared for in the ICU had better outcomes when art portraying peaceful nature scenes such as flowers, landscapes, and water features were in their direct line of sight.
• Post-op surgery patients whose rooms had windows with views of a park had better outcomes, needed less pain medication, and were discharged earlier than patients whose windows showed only brick walls.

Dozens of studies from researchers around the world confirm these findings. Doctors think there are probably two main reasons for this. In order to survive, humans developed an affinity for the natural world that sustained them and they quickly learned which environments provided safety and comfort and which were dangerous. So it's not surprising that images of lush, verdant landscapes, and gently flowing streams connect us on a profound level to peace and rest. Researchers also credit emotional congruence to our deep connection with art. How you perceive your world has a direct impact on your current emotions. A hospital environment is incredibly stressful for patients and their families. But when a beautiful waterfall, rainbow, or starry sky is available to meditate on, it changes people's emotional states by creating a healing and hopeful environment.

Based on the extensive body of scientific study, along with patient accounts, researchers say the best artwork for healing incorporates these elements:

• Landscapes featuring visual depth, broad canopy trees, lush vegetation, and positive cultural icons such as barns or old homes
• Floral scenes with healthy and fresh flowers, familiar varietals, and depictions of large gardens
• Calm scenes including water, sunrises or sunsets, rainbows, constellations, and other comforting touchstones of the natural world

These are exactly the kinds of images featured in our Moving Murals. Our stunning time-lapse photography immerses you in the nature scene of your choice and takes you on a calming, restorative journey through that particular landscape as you explore its unique features. One patient's family immediately saw the benefits of our work.

"I am so grateful to the creators of Moving Murals because their art will greatly enhance the lives of Alzheimer patients. My mother spent six years in an Alzheimer facility. Television was too stimulating, too abrasive for those afflicted with degenerative brain diseases and most of the patients were unable to enjoy reading, because they could not remember the storyline. Moving Murals will help to fulfill patient needs for a beautifully calm and ever-changing diversion."

Toni Hesse Larkspur, CO

Moving Murals could also be an excellent option for the growing segment of the population dealing with Sensory Processing Challenge. This group includes a wide spectrum of individuals who have either minimal or significant sensory sensitivities. This estimated 15-20% of the population perceives ordinary sensations with some level of discomfort or agitation. In more extreme cases ordinary sensations can be unbearably intense, especially in children. For example, the increase in unfamiliar sights and sounds in a public place can become overwhelming and the experience is so painful, they will scream, cry, rock, or behave in any way that gives them comfort. This behavior doesn't stop until the source of the pain is removed.

A popular solution in hospitals and classrooms has been to allow these individuals to go to a quiet corner to refocus and shut out the sensory overload and over-stimulation. A quiet space with comfortable furniture and a Moving Mural, with no other visual distractions, could be the perfect antidote to sensory stressors.

There is a growing trend among resorts, hotels, and service providers to offer sensory friendly accommodations not only for this population, but also for business and leisure travelers who would like these restorative benefits. Many travelers who don't suffer from a Sensory Processing Challenge say they'd choose a sensory friendly accommodation, if it were available.

"I travel frequently for business and would appreciate a quiet, soothing space at the end of the day. A place where I can recharge my batteries without noisy distractions or overly bright lighting. Meditative artwork like Moving Murals would be the perfect focal point for such a retreat."

Marc Graham Golden, CO

Contributions

If you'd like to gift a Moving Mural to the institution of your choice to promote healing, please contact us.

[Back to Top]

References

1. Florence Nightingale, Notes for Nursing, 1860
2. Diette, G. B., Lechtzin, N., Haponik, E., Devrotes, A., & Rubin, H. R. (2003). Distraction therapy with nature sights and sounds reduces pain during flexible bronchoscopy: A complementary approach to routine analgesia. Chest, 123, 941-948.
3. Miller, A. C., Hickman, L. C., & Lemasters, G. K. (1992). A distraction technique for control of burn pain. Journal of Burn Care Rehabilitation, 13(5), 576-580.
4. Schneider, S. M., Ellis, M., Coombs, W. T., Shonkwiler, E. L., & Folsom, L. C. (2003). Virtual reality intervention for older women with breast cancer.Cyberpsychology Behavior, 6(3), 301-307.
5. Heerwagen, J. (1990). The psychological aspects of windows and window design. Paper presented at the 21st Annual Conference of the Environmental Research Design Association, Oklahoma City, OK.
6. Coss, R. G. (1990). Picture perception and patient stress: A study of anxiety reduction and postoperative stability. Unpublished paper, Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis.
7. Ulrich, R. (1984). View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science, 4647, 420-421.
8. Ulrich, R. S., Simons, R. V., Losito, B .D., Fiorito, E., Miles, M. A., & Zelson, M. (1991). Stress recovery during exposure to nature and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11, 201-230.
9. Ulrich, R. S., & Gilpin, L. (2003). Healing arts: Nutrition for the soul. In S. B. Frampton,L. Gilpin, & P. A. Charmel (Eds.), Putting patients first: Designing and practicing patient-centered care (pp. 117-146). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.
10. Ulrich, R. S., Lunden, O., & Eltinge, J. L. (1993). Effects of exposure to nature and abstract pictures on patients recovering from heart surgery. Paper presented at the Thirty-Third Meetings of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, Rottach-Egern, Germany. Abstract published in Psychophysiology, 30(Suppl. 1), 7.
11. Kathy Hathorn, MA, and Upali Nanda, Ph.D. A Position Paper for The Center for Health Design's Environmental Standards Council, 2008
12. E. N. Aron (2000). "High Sensitivity as One Source of Fearfulness and Shyness," in Extreme Fear, Shyness, and Social Phobia: Origins, Biological Mechanisms, and Clinical Outcomes. Eds. L. A. Schmidt and J. Schulkin. New York: Oxford University Press,pp. 251-272.