69����

“I started wanting to get my art into healthcare facilities because research shows that a person’s surroundings, even visual surroundings, can have a negative or positive effect on a person’s mental health, which in turn, affects their physical health,” Hatlen said. She noted that images evoking positive memories and peaceful feelings, particularly nature scenes, are the most beneficial.

A dream realized

The opportunity at Stoughton Health arose after Hatlen — who frequently took her late mother to the Stoughton emergency room — began reaching out to area facilities. She mentioned her interest to desk staff at Stoughton, who provided her with a contact person. After several years of follow-up, a committee was finally ready to meet with her.

In October, Stoughton Health acquired 14 of Hatlen’s pieces. All but one are large, measuring 36 by 28 inches.

The artwork centers on nature, featuring subjects like hummingbirds, butterflies, and wildflowers, often painted in her preferred palette of cool colors — blues, purples, and greens. One of the pieces, “Apple Blossom Time,” is a close-up of crab tree blossoms from her own backyard.

“My dream is to positively affect people and their healing process through my artwork,” Hatlen explained. “Mainly, I want to give them a sense of peace.”

Positive feedback in a healing environment

Hatlen sees the display of her work in a healing environment as “100 times better” than a traditional gallery or museum setting.

“Because people that really need to see that kind of thing, people struggling or enduring something, my art can be where they are,” she said.

The artist views the role of art in healthcare as having the primary goal of positively impacting a patient’s state of mind, rather than simply filling wall space or matching decor. She stresses the importance of deliberate selection, especially when patients are facing stressful or life-changing news.

The prints have been hanging at Stoughton Health since October, and the artist has received positive feedback.

“Judy was a pleasure to work with and made the process seamless. Her mission perfectly aligns with our project goals, and patients truly enjoy the beautiful artwork in the treatment rooms. I highly recommend Judy,” wrote Liz Touchett, preventative health and rehab services manager with Stoughton Health, in a comment on Hatlen’s website.

Hatlen, who is also an active member of the Janesville Art League and manages its Facebook page, has been transitioning much of her work to digital painting using brush tools in Adobe Photoshop.

This shift allows her to produce the high-quality prints that hospitals and large institutions prefer to purchase in quantity, circumventing the logistical and expense challenges of selling original paintings.

Hatlen is also a recognized artist with the online organization The Healing Power of Art and Artists out of Manhattan, New York, an initiative of Manhattan Arts International. She has been included in every exhibit she has submitted to and was recently invited to join its select online gallery.

Hatlen offers both portrait and landscape orientations of her hospital prints on her personal website, .