A Custom Healthcare Art Installation Designed for Wonder, Discovery, and Healing
When art lives in a space designed for children, it has the opportunity to do more than decorate a wall. It can invite curiosity, spark conversation, and offer moments of comfort.
We were honored to create a large-scale custom art installation for Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, in collaboration with art consultant Maria Hooper of EMROSE Projects. Designed specifically for a child-centered healthcare environment, the installation brings nature-inspired artwork into a space dedicated to supporting children and families.
The vision was to transform more than 40 feet of corridor into an engaging visual journey for children and families moving through the space. The installation would feature our signature inlaid botanical paperclay disks flowing organically along the wall, creating opportunities for discovery at every height, including extra fun details placed intentionally low enough for the littlest visitors to notice and connect with.
Bringing the Story to Life
For this site-specific installation, we created more than 200 individual paperclay elements, each one handmade in our studio.
Our process begins by gathering botanicals and natural elements that fit within the visual story. We rolled what felt like endless slabs of Japanese paperclay and carefully pressed and inlaid collected materials to create interesting impressions and textures. For Mission Kids, we incorporated a wide range of florals, woodland botanicals, animal and insect prints, sea life elements, and hand-scribed details.
Once the disks are dry, we use a torch to flame embellish each one, bringing out the imprinted textures and details. As many times as we’ve done this, it still feels a little bit like magic.
Maria gave us a vibrant, wide-ranging color palette to work with. We mixed custom watercolor washes to match and experimented with tones and shades throughout the collection. This ended up being one of the most colorful disk installations we’ve ever created, and it was such a joy to work on.
Before shipping, we templated the entire installation in the studio and provided a detailed layout guide for installation. Maria brought the vision to life beautifully onsite. Watching the work come together in its final home was incredibly rewarding, and we’re thrilled with how seamlessly the installation came together.
Color, Movement, and Discovery
Rather than repeating a single motif, we approached the collection as a visual ecosystem. Each disk contributes to the larger composition while offering its own unique texture, pattern, and story.
Flowing organically through the corridor, the installation combines varying sizes, layered textures, and vibrant color to create movement across the wall. Along the way, children can discover florals, footprints, shells, insects, and other subtle references embedded within the work, inviting closer observation and rewarding curiosity.
Art for a Child-Centered Space
Mission Kids serves children and families during some of life’s most difficult moments. Knowing the purpose of the space informed every aspect of our approach.
We wanted the installation to feel welcoming, engaging, and full of possibility. Through nature-inspired forms, handcrafted textures, and playful details, the artwork transforms a corridor into an experience that encourages connection and discovery.
Projects like this remind us why we love creating site-specific art. Thoughtfully integrated artwork has the ability to shape how a space feels and create meaningful moments for the people who move through it every day.
Project Details
Client: Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center
Location: Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
Art Consultant: Maria Hooper, EMROSE Projects
Artwork: Custom Paperclay Disk Installation
Category: Healthcare Art Installation / Site-Specific Public Art
Materials: Japanese paperclay, natural texture impressions, watercolor pigments, protective sealant
Scale: 200+ handmade elements spanning more than 40 feet