Children's Hospital

	Search

Children's Hospital

Carley’s Magical Gardens are three interconnecting courtyard gardens located around the Hematology / Oncology Center at Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego, California. Carley Copley is the heart and soul of Carley’s Magical Gardens, a beautiful little three-year-old girl who was diagnosed with Leukemia. During her eleven month battle against the disease, Carley spent many days at the hospital in a room she called her 'little house'. One day she stepped outside her room to get a drink, when she noticed a spider. With her eyes wide-open in a combination of fear and curiosity, her reaction intrigued her father Mike, and the idea of the 'Buggy Garden' was born. Carley passed away in August 1996, but her life continues to touch people every day.

Work began in August 1997 to convert three patio areas into the three magical gardens, which are the 'Buggy Garden', the 'Garden of Dreams', and the 'Friendship Garden'. Nine artists were involved in the project, along with Sundt Construction Company, Children’s Hospital architect Toni Figerus, and project leads Mike and Liz Copley. The nine artists were Alber De Matteis, Kim Emerson, T.J. Dixon, James Nelson, Rod Treece, Lori Tyloch, Mary Lynn Dominguez, Ellen Phillips, and myself. The 'Gardens' were dedicated on November 12, 1999, and have received many awards, including a 2000 Multiple Orchids Award for architecture and landscaping. Besides being a place for children and families to go to escape from the struggles of cancer treatment, many special events have taken place in the gardens, including birthday parties, baptisms, and a wedding, just to name a few.

My involvement as an artist came from a slightly different angle than that of the other artists. My daughter Melissa was diagnosed with spinal cancer three months after her first birthday. No parent wants to hear the word “cancer” mentioned with his or her child’s name. One day while I was in the Observation Unit with Melissa as she received her treatment, I was talking with one of the parent liaisons, Mike Copley, and mentioned I had seen him on television talking about the garden project. I told him about my art background and my interest in the project, but we knew that Melissa’s care was my main focus in life. After battling cancer for ten months, Melissa passed away in July 1998.

"Observation Unit"	"Hummingbird Nest"	"River Fountain"


A few months after she passed away, I was asked by Mike to join the team working on the gardens. It was truly an honor to work with such talented and caring artists. We all knew this was a very special project, one that would touch us for the rest of our lives. For me, it was also a time to heal during my grief. One of my tasks was to create out of wood, large painted butterflies to be used as pathfinders in the hallways. These butterflies lead the Oncology patients from the check-in office down different hallways to the 'Observation Unit'. In the Garden of Dreams, I was responsible for painting a skyscape on a blue wall that stretches from the 'Hummingbird Nest', designed by Kim, to the 'River Fountain', designed by Mary Jane and Ellen. Five more wooden butterflies were mounted to the wall. The remaining butterflies were mounted outside each patient room to the roof overhangs in the Buggy Garden and the Garden of Dreams, so that the children would have something to look at while resting in bed. A total of 44 butterflies were made, with some of the color designs created by children. Melissa’s brother, Andrew, and sister, Kristen, painted two of the butterflies. Barney, the purple dinosaur, was one of Melissa’s favorite characters, so outside the room where she departed for Heaven is mounted the 'Barneyfly'.

Another task I was given was to work with Children’s Hospital architect Toni Figerus on the design for the patio area that leads to the Garden of Dreams. This included the design of bugs, plants, flowers, and hummingbirds for the 'Etched Glass' in the double arch doors.

"The Barneyfly"	"Etched Glass"	"Main Clock Tower"


Finally, I worked with T.J. Dixon, James Nelson, and Rod Treece on the design and painting of Eric and Melissa's Playhouse. Built in Rod TreeceÍs studio, who is a master craftsman and set designer, we painted the base paint on the walls, doors and windows. On one of the clock towers, I had the opportunity to paint whimsical kites, the symbol of ChildrenÍs hospital, plus checkerboards, and butterflies, on the 'Main Clock Tower'. I painted more butterflies on the other clock tower, and when we determined a mural painted on the backside of the playhouse would not work, I painted what is now called the 'Rainbow of Butterflies'. Starting at one end of the playhouse are 20 green butterflies, then 20 yellow, 20 orange, 20 red, 20 purple, and finally 20 blue butterflies of all shapes and sizes. Above the main door to the playhouse is the 'Sign' that reads "Eric and Melissa's Playhouse", designed with the help of my wife, Brenda, and son, Andrew. Eric was one of Melissa's friends who passed away from Leukemia three weeks before she did. Our families were truly honored by the Copleys and Children's Hospital to be able to put the sign on the playhouse.

"Rainbow"	"The Sign"	"Wonderland Doors"


Like many of the items in the 'Carley’s Magical Gardens', the playhouse was designed to be interactive, giving the children many things to discover and enjoy. One of these items is the 'Alice in Wonderland Doors', with the blue door, that, when opened, reveals a smaller green door, which, when opened, reveals a smaller white and red door. A friend told me once these doors were like the door 'Melissa' went through when she went to Heaven. Many times while working on this most meaningful project, I wondered what my daughter was doing in Heaven and her reaction when she first got there. I think the following picture of her captures a glimpse of the joy and happiness on her face when she saw her Savior, whom she loved at the tender age of two. As I told the Copleys on the night of the dedication of 'Carley’s Magical Gardens', our daughters are now playing together in the gardens of Heaven.

"Melissa"

back to: various commisions


privacy \| sales policy \| artFAQs \| site map \| help
	copyright ©2002-09 high iron illustrations
	talk to us: 858-413-5524
		top of page