Mural Artist Laura Bray Creates Custom Wall for Family Photos
For moms-to-be, the week leading up to Mother’s Day is filled with anticipation. And while no mom knows for sure if their newborn might arrive on the holiday, all moms-to-be at Grand View Health now can create an extra-special Mother’s Day card any day of the year.
That’s because the hospital’s Birth & Family Center now features a colorful, hand-painted mural. The 14 foot high, 7 foot wide artwork, which spans the length of a wall between two patient rooms, provides a celebratory, spring-like background where moms and families can snap Instagram-worthy photos and introduce their newborns to the world.
Inspired by our Nurses
Stephanie Malischewski, a maternity nurse at Grand View Health, came up with the idea for the mural, and the hospital commissioned a local mural artist, Laura Bray, to create the ultimate Mother’s Day card.
“I met with the nurses and staff last fall, and we started dreaming up all sorts of ideas,” says Bray, 39, of Pipersville, who is also a mom of a teenaged daughter. “I created some preliminary sketches, and the majority of staff voted for the version with rainbows and flowers.”
Bray began painting the mural last month, working for about 20 hours over a four-day period. As she painted, she also interacted with curious patients, visitors and staff. “Everybody was so sweet,” Bray says. “The nurses especially were excited to see another flower, another butterfly, another new detail.”
A Memory for Moms of their Grand Experience
The mural features images of rich green grass, brilliant blue skies, blooming flowers, a rainbow, and a stork carrying a little bundle of joy. Bray added a layer of dry-erase varnish so parents can write their baby’s name, birthdate and other details on the mural and create personalized photos to immortalize their newborns. Families are invited to take photos during their stay at the hospital and share their experience on social media with the hashtag #borngrand.
The vibrant artwork has sparked robust conversation and plenty of good vibes throughout the Birth & Family Center. “It’s an honor to have my art displayed in such a lovely public space, where so many people can enjoy it every day,” Bray says. “I’m thrilled to hear that they are loving the mural as much as I enjoyed painting it.”
To learn more about the Birth & Family Center at Grand View Health, visit GVH.org/maternity.
Check out this video to see how artist Laura Bray brought Grand View’s Birth and Family Center mural to life.