Views from the Shore
For many years now, the entryway at Shore Medical Center has served as more than a hallway. It has functioned as a gallery — a welcoming space where local artists offer patients, visitors, and staff a moment of calm before they take their next steps. Our newest exhibit continues that tradition and comes with meaningful ties to the artists who helped bring it to life.
This display began with a call to Matt Dixon, an artist I worked with a lifetime ago during our days in the casinos. Matt has shown at Shore before, and when I asked if he’d consider helping us curate a new exhibit for the entrance of the Surgical Pavilion, he said yes immediately. His connection to Shore is personal — Matt was born here, making this installation especially meaningful to him.
To build the exhibit, Matt reached out to six other South Jersey artists whose work reflects a wide range of styles and experiences: Bill Parker, Michael Cagno, Cheryl Knowles-Harrigan, Rita Michalenko, Renee Leopardi, and Leon Westcoat. Together, their pieces create one of the most vibrant and diverse displays our entranceway has ever featured.
One of these artists, Renee Leopardi, is known for her luminous pastel seascapes that seem to shift with the light. Renee has exhibited at Shore before and has a special connection of her own — her daughter was born at Shore, on one of the hospital’s busiest days. Renee and Matt have known each other for years; she has taught art at numerous centers across South Jersey, and Matt was once one of her students.
When I spoke with Renee, she explained her fascination with painting water. “There are thousands of colors in one square inch,” she told me. “The glow on the crest of a wave — that moment is mesmerizing. And it’s endless.” Ironically, she admitted she’s actually afraid of the ocean. “I won’t go in it, but I love painting it.”
Renee also understands why art belongs in a hospital. “People appreciate it here,” she said. “You can walk into the scene and forget what you’re dealing with. Even if your moment isn’t great, art takes your mind somewhere else.”
That sense of escape is something I’ve heard echoed by our staff — people who walk into the hospital each day knowing their work may be physically demanding or emotionally heavy. Many have told me that this exhibit gives them an unexpected lift before their day even begins.
Another artist with deep ties to Shore is Leon Westcoat. An original painting of Leon’s already hangs in one of our Emergency Department care rooms, offering comfort to families who find themselves there during some of life’s most difficult moments. Leon’s contributions to this new exhibit continue that legacy.
Matt reflected on the power of these works: “Art clears away the dust of life’s weariness,” he said. “To an artist, the work is about the journey. To the viewer, it’s about the destination.” When he sees a painting, he remembers the hours behind it. Visitors simply feel something.
So the next time you’re here, take a moment to look. Let the waves in Renee’s pastels, the textures in Matt’s pieces, the warmth and light in Leon’s work, and the collective vision of all seven artists give you a moment of beauty. Because healing can begin long before a doctor or nurse walks into the room — sometimes, it starts the moment you stop and look at a painting.
Brian Cahill is the Director of Marketing for Shore Medical Center and Shore Physicians Group. He is also volunteers on the Board of the Somers Point Business Association and is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business at Stockton University.
