Art Therapy: Kandinsky Project for Helen DeVos Children's Hospital

Art is not only creative, but also a therapeutic process. When the new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital opened earlier this year in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the interest in creating a creative environment for patients was clear. The hospital includes more than 1,500 artworks created by more than 8,000 students from across the state.

One of the participating schools was the Lincoln Development Center. The students at the center have cognitive or physical impairments, including many students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Art consultant Elain Dalcher and Cathy Ripmaster, physical therapist, implemented the Kandinsky Project, a school wide art program inspired by the famous Russian painter, Wassily Kandinsky. For the project, the students listened to the music that inspired Kandinsky while they created their art. For more on their creative process and the finished paintings, watch the video and click through the images below.