A new mural has been completed outside the pediatric emergency department at Banner Health’s Diamond Children’s Medical Center in Tucson. The artwork was created by local artist Camila Ibarra and finished on February 16. It is part of ongoing improvements to the pediatric emergency department, which opened earlier this year with more treatment spaces and areas designed for children with sensory needs.
The mural depicts a desert park scene that includes hidden wildlife elements throughout. Its imagery was developed with input from the Tohono O’odham Nation and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe to ensure cultural representation was handled respectfully.
“Public art can have a powerful impact on people’s emotions and daily lives, especially in a hospital setting where visitors often arrive under challenging circumstances,” Ibarra said. “The goal of this mural was to brighten the environment and create an uplifting piece that offers a sense of hope and comfort during their time here.”
Ibarra, who specializes in desert landscapes and Sonoran cultural themes, worked closely with hospital staff to design the mural.
“This beautiful mural reflects our commitment to creating spaces that support healing in every sense,” said Alison Flynn Gaffney, chief executive officer of Banner – University Medicine Tucson. “By involving community members and consulting our with local tribes, we ensured this artwork represents all communities we are privileged to serve.”
In January, about 100 people including children, hospital staff, and families participated in a paint-by-number event to help lay down base layers before Ibarra completed the details.
Banner Health operates as a nonprofit organization across several states such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming (official website). The health system provides substantial community benefits through its nonprofit activities (official website) and ranks among the largest nonprofit health systems nationally (official website). According to its mission statement on its official website, Banner Health aims to simplify health care to improve quality of life.
Photos and video of the mural are available courtesy of BG Boyd.
