By Rubin E. Grant
Anyone walking into the main front entrance of Brookwood Medical Center these days will notice a strikingly large painting of “The Good Samaritan.”
The 48-by-96 oil on canvas piece is the work of Dirk Walker, one of Alabama’s most collected and sought after artists, whose work has been collected throughout the United States and internationally.
“I’ve always wanted to do a painting of the Good Samaritan,” Walker said. “It’s one of the stories I’ve liked since I’ve been going to church.”
Baptist Health Foundation recently invested more than $300,000 to install and upgrade dedicated spaces of Christian meditation and reflection in Brookwood Baptist Health hospitals. The investment featured a special collection of art by Walker.
“The Good Samaritan” is the largest of the 14-piece project of original, spiritually based paintings.
Amy Allen, president and chief executive officer of Baptist Health System, contacted Walker in March about the project.
“Our relationship goes back a long way,” Walker said. “She was a client when I was at the Loretta Goodwin Gallery (in Birmingham). She knew I had done some spiritually themed pieces.”
Also part of the project was for Walker to do three, 20-by-16 original water colors to be displayed as prints in patient rooms. Each piece speaks to a specific Bible verse.
Walker met with a design team that included Dr. Cecelia Walker, executive director of chaplaincy and clinical pastoral education of Brookwood Baptist Health.
“The subject matter was selected to depict various biblical stories of Christ caring for the sick and downtrodden, as well as represent the mission statement of the health care system,” Dirk Walker said.
“It took me close to five months to produce,” Dirk Walker added. “Dr. Walker was influential in making it a success. She knew the scriptures so well.”
Among the pieces are the “Woman with Blood Issues,” “Jesus Healing the Blind Man” and “Mission Window.”
“The ‘Mission Window’ has been a major focus of the hospital system for many years,” Dirk Walker said. “Most of the hospitals upon construction completion installed actual stained-glass windows that symbolized the mission statement of the Baptist health care system. This piece is an original in oil, depicting the message of the original stained-glass pieces.”
Dr. Walker, no relation, was pleased with the final results.
“Every piece was developed with prayerful consideration seeking God’s direction to bless His people,” she said. “Anytime we submit to the Lord’s leading, the outcome is more than we can ask, think or imagine, and the response of our patients, families and staff has been just that.”
Brookwood Baptist Health CEO Jeremy Clark also was pleased.
“We are proud to have these beautiful works of art in our hospitals,” Clark said. “Dirk Walker is an outstanding artist, and you can feel the passion he has for his work when you look at these pieces. This project offers a gorgeous visual representation of Brookwood Baptist Health’s mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ through holistic, people-centered health care. I know this wonderful art will bring peace and calm to our patients, and I’m very thankful for that.”
The artwork has been installed in the common areas and patient rooms of all five Brookwood Baptist Health hospitals, including Brookwood Baptist Medical Center, Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster, Citizens Baptist Medical Center in Talladega and Walker Baptist Medical Center in Jasper.
“To God be the glory,” Dirk Walker said. “I simply did what stirred my soul.”
