`Never Limit Your Dreams
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
What would you say if someone told you that you could turn your frustrations into a dream for tens of thousands of people around the world? Some might laugh, however, John Feight, the founder and executive director of the Foundation for Hospital Art says he did just that.
Back in 1970s when Feight was a marketing professional, he started painting out of frustration over his daily routine and materialistic lifestyle. He invited one of his friends to paint with him on the wall of his clinic, thinking it might give relief to both himself and his friend.
While he was drawing, a little girl came up to him saying she, too, wanted to paint.
Seeing her have a great time, he decided to make others happy too. He began touring the hospitals and offered painting events for the patients and other volunteers. Now, with the help of more than 200,000 volunteers, over 30,000 paintings have been completed for more than 1,500 hospitals and nursing homes in 179 countries.
He says painting draws attention away from the pains and aches patients suffer. ``Once, there was a patient suffering from terminal cancer. At the end of her days, she was eager to involve herself in the project,'' he said. Having recovered from prostate cancer himself, he says he understands the pain and anxiety of being sick.
As a result of his reflection on his experiences, Feight is now holding art festivals where patients, their guardians and neighbors can all enjoy a moment of freedom from their pain.
In Korea, his foundation and its main sponsor international pharmaceutical Pfizer have held an annual ``Pfizer Paint Fest'' for the last six years. This year, he will go to Daegu, Busan and Incheon with hundreds of participants. The foundation provides participants with toxic-free paints and silkscreen drafts for the participants to fill in. Each picture is divided into sections and when they are done, the sections will be assembled into a final picture to be hung on the walls or ceilings of hospitals.
Individuals wanting to participate in the campaign can buy the kit, which includes tools for painting. Once the paintings are completed, they can be donated to the local hospitals. Hundreds of people have bought the kits and sent in their artworks to local medical facilities.
Working alongside John Feight is his son, Scott Feight. Scott, who once was an officer of the U.S. army in Korea, was the first person to hold this paint project in Korea in the 1990s, a time the concept of art therapy was uncommon.
The two Feights say the most important thing is to believe in the potential of the dream and then go for it. ``Making paintings for the hospital was just a small idea, but when I gave it my all and shared it with many people, look how many people are enjoying themselves with this?'' John Feight said.