Tree of Life at Santa Rosa Memorial

From December 2023 through to March 2024, Art Practice Major Sophia Lavrov painted a 5x17 foot long mural for the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. The mural is dedicated to organ donors, families, and organ receivers. Greg Niemeyer interviewed Sophia about the work:

Greg: How did you land on the theme of Oak Trees?

Sophia: For this mural to feel integrated in the hospital's ICU, I knew immediately I wanted to allude to the familiar natural scapes of Sonoma County, particularly the oak trees and vineyards of Santa Rosa. It was important to me to paint a landscape that made families feel at home, especially since families undergo so much stress looking after their loved ones in the hospital. I also felt that an oak tree truly reflected the intention for the "Tree of Life" project. An oak tree is resilient, strong, and unwavering, and its leaves fall and regrow every season, continuously regenerating life. With this, an oak tree is perfectly representative of organ donation, how it too regenerates this gift of life to patients in need of organ transplants. On the other end, an oak tree also importantly reflects the strength and endurance of the patients and their families. Overall, an oak tree was the perfect fit both conceptually and visually for the "Tree of Life" project.

Greg: What was the impact of the work on hospital patients, families, and health care professionals?

Sophia: As for the reception of the mural, it couldn't have been more positive and emotional. While painting, the nurses provided the most validating praise and kindness. Even through the droll of their twelve hour shifts, they never failed to acknowledge and encourage me, always making me smile. They were so gracious about having something decorating the stale walls of the ICU hallway, and I was honored to do it. At the reception for the Tree of Life unveiling, I had families thanking me for making this tree to honor their loved ones, where the leaves display the engraved names of the patients who have donated organs. I also saw families whose loved ones received organ donations, and they were some of the most grateful individuals I have ever met. The interactions between both donor families and receivers was magical to witness, and I could not believe I brought them together through painting.

Greg: What was the hardest part about painting int eHospital?

Sophia: I was the thing that cheered up patients who go in and out on rolling hospital beds. This was beautiful but also hard. It demanded much respect. It was also tricky to paint around the security keypad, which the staff used every five minutes, and often with urgency.

Greg: What are your plans for the future?

Sophia: I am an Art Practice major, with a History of Art minor, intending to graduate in Spring 2025. I am currently creating a body of work exploring dramatic self-portraiture as a way to reveal and purge religious trauma, which will be showcased in the Worth Ryder for Senior Projects in December 2024. Post-graduation, I will keep painting both for myself and my growing list of clients. I am deeply enveloped in the arts and I want to do it all so badly, from painting to bigger murals and larger altar installation, I will push the boundaries of what paint can do.

Greg: How do you keep your energy up for such a large project?

Sophia: As of late, I have been obsessed with matcha. Whenever I need a break from painting, I always turn to a matcha latte--a perfectly balanced and bittersweet drink, without much caffeine. I get right back to painting, with a bit more gusto.

Greg: How can we keep following your work?

If people want to follow me on instagram, my handle is @sophialavrovdesigns, featuring my current projects. My website, www.sophialavrovdesigns.com also holds all my project documentation, from client to personal work.

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