A 37-Foot Welcome: Custom Nature Art at Citizens Health Medical Center

The first steps you take inside a healthcare facility can set the tone for your entire experience in that environment.  Do you immediately feel overwhelmed or at ease?  Is the space small and dark or open with soft, natural lighting?

How calm patients (and staff) feel impacts outcomes, job retention, and, according to research, even the perception of pain. Being able to impact all of those things simply through the use of thoughtful design is something that shouldn’t be ignored. So, when environments like Citizens Health Medical Center in Colby, Kansas get intentional about creating a healing space from the moment you walk through the door, we should all pay attention.

For Citizens Health Medical Center in Colby, that first impression moment happens at the check-in desk, where it’s designed to feel inviting and connected to the community it serves.

HFG Architecture design concept.

This project began with the architectural vision of HFG Architecture in Wichita, KS. The space itself is warm and modern, layered with natural materials and a prairie-inspired color palette. The question for us became how to translate that architectural feeling into art, at a scale large enough to anchor the entry experience without overwhelming it.

The answer was a 37-foot wide welcome sign, in the form of a custom color slice.

Color slices allow multiple images to work together as a single, cohesive piece of art.

Instead of relying on one large photograph, slices create movement, rhythm, and visual interest, especially in large areas where a single image just wouldn’t feel complete. In healthcare environments, they also offer something deeper: positive distraction, gentle wayfinding cues, and a calming visual presence that supports patients and staff.

For Citizens Health, creating the right color slice meant starting with place.

Rather than pulling from stock imagery, we traveled to the Colby area to photograph the surrounding landscape.

We spent time capturing the quiet beauty of northwest Kansas including the textures of native grasses, the open sky, weathered stone formations, and familiar agricultural elements that are part of everyday life in the region. These are the kinds of details locals recognize instinctively, even if they can’t always name why they feel familiar.

Research consistently shows that local nature imagery in healthcare environments helps reduce stress and anxiety, increases patient confidence, and creates a sense of trust. When people see landscapes that reflect their own community, it reinforces that the care they’re receiving is tailored to them and their community. It creates a level of comfort from the moment you walk in the door and makes the artwork a vital part of the care team.

Using HFG’s architectural inspiration and color palette, we created six custom color slice options, each built entirely from locally photographed imagery. While the images changed from slice to slice, each option explored a different balance of color, contrast, texture, and flow. Some leaned warmer and softer, others more graphic and structured.

The design team reviewed these options and shared thoughtful feedback – what resonated, what felt strongest, and what needed adjusting. Together, we refined the direction, making small but meaningful changes until the final composition felt right for the space. This collaborative process is one of our favorite parts of working on custom projects. It’s where the art shifts from concept to something truly personal that matches the space, brand, and the community.

KJP’s Artistic Director, Tori Gerkin, made the final adjustments with her usual attention to detail and fully caffeinated, warp-speed turnaround time. You can see the before and after below:

Check-in desk before the custom color slice was installed.

Check-in desk with custom nature art installed. Installation image by Essential Images Photography.

The final result is a 37-foot-wide custom color slice wallcovering, produced by Koroseal and installed behind the administrative check-in desk. Designed by HFG Architecture’s Katie Pruser, NCIDQ, the finished piece integrates seamlessly with the architecture, lighting, and materials of the space, bringing in the natural character of northwest Kansas.

It’s visually engaging, soothing, and unmistakably local.

Beyond aesthetics, this project reflects a larger belief that guides our work: nature imagery in healthcare isn’t interchangeable. What feels comforting in Kansas may feel out of place in Florida or Minnesota. When art reflects the surrounding environment, patients feel more at ease, and staff benefit from reduced stress and increased focus.

Studies show that artwork focused on nature or familiar landmarks can reduce stress, decrease the need for pain medication, and even shorten the length of hospital stays. It also fosters a sense of community involvement, reminding patients and staff that the facility is part of the place they call home.

Custom nature photography by Kurt Johnson Photography. Installation image by Essential Images Photography.

This project at Citizens Health Medical Center is a perfect example of how thoughtful collaboration, local photography, and intentional design can come together to create something that supports healing in real, measurable ways. Because the environments where healing happens deserve just as much thought as the care itself.

We’ll keep traveling, photographing, and creating slices that represent real places, because that’s where the best stories begin. Reach out if you’re ready to see how we can help you!