Hospital associates, patients and visitors at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph in Wichita, Kansas, can enjoy vibrant scenery while dining in the hospital’s Down Under Café. A new 159-foot-long, 17-foot-tall mural now covers an exterior concrete wall visible through the cafeteria’s windows. It features 18 profiles of diverse faces against varying backgrounds of Ascension’s blue, green and gold brand colors, all separated by veins of white similar to stained glass design.
The outdoor space, referred to as “the moat,” is an open-air, lower-level area where associates can step outside for a break or al fresco dining. The massive mural was the inspiration of recently retired hospital President Robyn Chadwick, who first thought of the idea when she assumed leadership of Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph in 2020.
“I saw the concrete moat and thought, ‘What a beautiful canvas,’” Robyn said. “The vision for a mural was that when anyone who works at St. Joseph looks outside, they see someone who connects to them so they immediately feel, ‘I belong.’”
Via Christi Foundation President David Alexander agreed to fund the project, and Robyn enlisted the talents of local artist Chris Garcia from Brickmob, an art collective known for dozens of mural installations across Wichita.
“Public art and murals give us pretty things to look at, and that contributes to making Wichita a better place to live. This mural at St. Joseph helps connect Ascension as part of our greater community,” Robyn said.
In collaboration with the artist, a planning team, including Mission Integration leader Tracey Biles and Marketing leader Colleen Pate, set out to ensure a design concept in harmony with Ascension’s ABIDE framework of appreciation, belongingness, inclusivity, diversity and Equity, and following Ascension brand standards.
“The intent behind the mural is to draw on our ABIDE hallmarks and create images of people that reflect the many faces seen at St. Joseph and across Ascension,” Tracey said. “Each associate should be able to see something of themself in the images – whether it's skin tone, eye color, hairstyle, etc. … all of the wonderful things that make us who we are.
“The images of faces are also framed within a design that looks like stained glass, because we know that stained glass is always beautiful, but when the light comes from within, like it does with our people, it’s even more amazing.”
Chris and a team of Brickmob painters spent about two months completing the mural. A few of the faces were inspired by real Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph associates Chris photographed for inspiration.
A celebratory blessing was held in October; here’s video of the ceremony.
