When Canadian artist Christopher Griffin was asked last year to take part in a project to brighten the hospital corridors at Bruyère Health, he agreed immediately without fully knowing what he was committing to.

While there was no grand plan, the idea gradually took shape, eventually growing into a city-wide celebration of creativity and connection.

On Friday night, he joined dozens of guests at the Ottawa Art Gallery for the private opening of Hallways of Hope, a collection of large-scale paintings he created over the course of many months in close collaboration with patients at Bruyère Health.

The exhibit will remain at the OAG until January 11 for free public viewing, before returning to permanently hang in the Five North unit at Bruyère Health’s Saint-Vincent Hospital, which specializes in long-term, complex care.

“We had no idea this was going to happen,” said Griffin, who was both astonished and grateful to see the works displayed so prominently. “It demonstrates the power of saying ‘Yes’.”

From left, Hallways of Hope artists Kim Otte and Evan Mundy listen as visual artist Christopher Griffin, who worked with patients of Bruyère Health to create original works for the Saint-Vincent Hospital site, spoke at the opening of the temporary exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery. Photo by Caroline Phillips

In recognition of his contribution, Bruyère Health Foundation presented Griffin with the Bruyère Spirit Award at the gathering. “Christopher Griffin is not only a great Canadian artist, he is a generous soul who believes in the healing power of creativity,” said the foundation’s interim president, Kim Curran. “Through the Hallways of Hope, Christopher didn’t just share his artistic talent with us, he shared his time, his perseverance and the belief in the transformative power of art.

“He helped our patients discover their own creativity, giving them a voice and a sense of pride.”

Griffin, who has studios in Ottawa and Charlottetown, P.E.I., has long given back. Since April 2020, his online art auctions have raised nearly $100,000 for the Ottawa Food Bank.

Hallways of Hope artists, seen in the front row, created original works of art to hang in Bruyère Health’s Saint-Vincent Hospital, with the help of visual artist Christopher Griffin, seen speaking at the opening of the temporary exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Hallways of Hope was driven by Bruyère Health’s clinical chaplain, Roshene Lawson, whose vision grew from a passing remark by Dr. Chris Kirby about the hospital’s gloomy hallways.

“She saw a possibility where others saw sadness, and she invited our patients to turn their stories into art,” said event emcee Anick Sabourin, director of marketing and stewardship at Bruyère Health Foundation.

Bruyère Health is Eastern Ontario’s leading health organization, specializing in aging, rehabilitation and care for people with complex medical needs. “When we think about health care, we often picture emergency rooms and life-saving procedures; we don’t always think about what comes next,” said Sabourin, referring to care provided to stroke survivors, people recovering from major falls or hip replacements, those living with dementia, individuals receiving end-of-life care, and others managing ongoing, complicated health challenges.

From the Bruyère Health Foundation board were chair Scott Brooker (Cushman & Wakefield Ottawa), treasurer Rob Moffatt (Vaive & Associates), Elliott Bourgeois (First Avenue Investment Counsel), Christine Irvine (former OutCare Foundation board chair), Shirley Westeinde (Westeinde Properties) and Loretta Layton (AbbVie), as well as such donors as Star Motors of Ottawa Mercedes-Benz, represented by its vice president and general manager, Yves Laberge.

Attendees also included stroke survivor and former Bruyère Health patient Jo-Anne Saikaley Sparkes.

OAG director and CEO Alexandra Badzak called the gathering a “joyful moment”; one that has strengthened the gallery’s relationship with Bruyère. “We believe in partnerships,” she said. “It’s through partnerships and collaborations that we can make the world a better place.”

From left, Bruyère Health Foundation board chair Scott Brooker, a commercial real estate broker with Cushman & Wakefield Ottawa, and Kim Curran, interim president at Bruyère Health Foundation, at the opening of the temporary exhibit, Hallways of Hope, at the Ottawa Art Gallery. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Sister Louise Charbonneau, representing the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa, hugs Anick Sabourin, director of marketing and stewardship at Bruyère Health Foundation, at the opening of the temporary exhibit, Hallways of Hope, at the Ottawa Art Gallery. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Attendees of the private opening of Hallways of Hope examine the paintings created by Bruyère Health patients in collaboration with visual artist Christopher Griffin. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Yves Laberge, vice president and general manager of Star Motors of Ottawa Mercedes-Benz, and stroke survivor Jo-Anne Saikaley Sparkes at the private opening of a new temporary exhibit, Hallways of Hope, created by patients of Bruyère Health in collaboration with visual artist Christopher Griffin. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Lawson wanted an artist for her initiative who could listen, connect and create a space for patients — many of whom require ventilator support or have limited mobility — to express themselves. “For me, there was only one person who came to mind: Christopher Griffin,” she said, describing the artist as humble, curious and deeply respectful of others.

Griffin met individually with each patient, gently assisting them as they created their works, and later completing the paintings at his studio. “I wanted to preserve and honour your markings,” he told his fellow artists.

Hallways of Hope held its first show this past summer at the Saint-Vincent site. Griffin recalled how rewarding it was to see each artist, full of smiles and pride, next to their respective painting. “And people were coming up to you, and they weren’t talking about your illness, they were talking about you as human beings and what you created,” recalled Griffin.

Visual artist Christopher Griffin, seen at the Ottawa Art Gallery describing the process of how he created original works of art with patients of Bruyère Health’s Saint-Vincent site as a way to brighten the hospital’s hallway corridors. Photo by Caroline Phillips

At Friday’s OAG event, Griffin acknowledged each patient artist by name: Anne Marie Loiselle, James McLaughlin, Martin Meech, Kerry Lawson, Evan Mundy, Liz Patterson, Randall Robinson, Badrudduza Kazi and Rosy Dhillon.

Otte made brief remarks. Born and raised in Denmark, he came to Canada at age 26 in 1993. The young lawyer got his Master of Laws degree from the University of Ottawa and worked in a variety of legal roles, including more than 23 years at National Defence. He was diagnosed a couple of years ago with ALS and, last year, moved into Saint-Vincent — calling it his “home away from home”.

“It’s been a great source of peace of mind for my wife and me knowing that, as this disease inevitably progresses, I’m in the right place,” said Otte, who spoke of living a full and active life at the hospital, despite his physical limitations.

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that gradually robs people of their ability to move, speak, swallow and eventually breathe.

The Hallways of Hope initiative went far beyond a typical hospital activity, said Otte, whose gentle smile lights up a room.

“I’m quite certain I’m speaking on every patient’s behalf when I say that we feel seen, we feel heard.”

Even more importantly, Otte added, Hallways of Hope leaves behind a legacy that future patients can draw inspiration from. “As the name suggests, hope is the thing that keeps us going.”

Bruyère Health patient and Hallways of Hope artist Kim Otte spoke, during the opening of the temporary exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery, about the legacy the artwork will leave at the Saint-Vincent hospital. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Bruyère Health Foundation board members Christine Irvine, Loretta Layton and treasurer Rob Moffatt during the private opening of the temporary new exhibit, Hallways of Hope, created by patients of Bruyère Health with the assistance of visual artist Christopher Griffin. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Bruyère Health patient and Hallways of Hope artist Kerry Lawson, left, in conversation with Bruyère Health Foundation board members Loretta Layton and Elliott Bourgeois at the private opening of Hallways of Hope at the Ottawa Art Gallery on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Bruyère Health Foundation board member Shirley Westeinde in conversation with Emily Jones Joannise, CEO and co-founder of Connected Canadians, a national nonprofit that provides free technology training and support to Canadian seniors, at the Ottawa Art Gallery for the opening of the Hallways of Hope exhibit. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Anick Sabourin, director of marketing and stewardship at Bruyère Health Foundation, emceed the formal program for the private opening of a new temporary exhibit, Hallways of Hope, showing at the Ottawa Art Gallery until January  11. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Roshene Lawson, the driving force behind the Hallways of Hope project, grew teary-eyed as she listened to the story of the initiative she created with the help of visual artist Christopher Griffin (right), at the Ottawa Art Gallery. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Alexandra Badzak, director and CEO of the Ottawa Art Gallery, spoke to the power of partnerships during the private opening of the temporary new exhibit, Hallways of Hope, created by patients of Bruyère Health with the assistance of visual artist Christopher Griffin. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Bruyère Health Foundation board member Elliott Bourgeois and Madeleine Lemaire, external communications coordinator at Bruyère Health, at the Ottawa Art Gallery for the opening of the Hallways of Hope exhibit. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Bruyère Health patients and Hallways of Hope artists, from left, Badrudduza Kazi, Kim Otte and Evan Mundy listen to remarks during the private opening of Hallways of Hope, a temporary exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery, created to brighten the hallways of the Bruyère Health Saint-Vincent site. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Anick Sabourin (centre) from Bruyère Health is joined by Sisters Andrée Menard, left, and Louise Charbonneau, members of the Sisters of Charity Ottawa, at the private opening of Hallways of Hope, a new temporary exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery, created by patients of Bruyère Health in collaboration with visual artist Christopher Griffin. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Bruyère Health patient and Hallways of Hope artist James McLaughlin, who worked 40 years at The Ottawa Hospital, created the painting Winterscape (top right) as part of a new temporary exhibition that opened at the Ottawa Art Gallery on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Laryssa Korbutiak (co-owner of Oresta Clean Beauty Simplified), Bruyère Health vice president Peggy Taillon, visual artist Christopher Griffin and Oresta Korbutiak (co-owner of Oresta Clean Beauty Simplified) at the private opening of Hallways of Hope, a temporary exhibit at the Ottawa Art Gallery featuring works of art created by patients of Bruyère Health, completed with the help of Griffin. Photo by Caroline Phillips

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, RBC, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law.

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