The South Delta Artists' Guild was never ordered to remove paintings from the walls of Delta Hospital.
That's according to site director Annette Garm, responding to the recent controversy over the removal of artwork due to a new policy by Fraser Health.
Approximately two dozen paintings were taken down about a week ago following discussion about a policy that sets new rules on what's appropriate for display and a process for screening.
For the last 15 years, the artists' guild had an informal agreement with the Delta Hospital Auxiliary to display art. That deal saw 85 per cent of proceeds from paintings sold going to the artist and the remainder to the hospital.
Earlier this year, Fraser Health implemented new guidelines on how art is chosen and displayed because there was no policy at all, explained Garm.
"There were no guidelines as to what type of art could be hung or the number of paintings, who dealt with all the holes in the walls. After 15 years of having art hanging in the hallways, the wall was in poor shape with art hangers randomly nailed into the wall at various heights," Garm explained.
"I just had asked the auxiliary would they speak to the guild about cleaning up the display and making it more attractive and repairing the wall. That's it. It's the only conversation I had with the auxiliary," she said.
Saying the new regulations are far too onerous, guild president Kathy Swift didn't want to comment on the revenue situation, only to say artists simply couldn't work within a new system that determined what is and isn't appropriate art.
"There are all kinds of things in these regulations about not being able to show people or faces, or even animals because it might trigger people losing pets. It's like you really have to jury every piece that goes in and there's a whole process that takes three months and then they have to be framed a certain way," she said.
"I don't know what they can do with the regulations because art is art. They will see it no matter where they go, so if they are in the hospital they can see only certain art? We've had this venue for 15 years and never had an issue with a type of painting in there before."
Noting they were told the paintings that were on display had to be taken down by the end of September, Swift said a meeting has been arranged with the health region next week to discuss the issue.
Garm said she hadn't discussed the removal of the paintings prior and was unaware what the artists did until afterward.
"I said to the auxiliary I'd certainly be willing to re-enter a conversation with the guild to see if they want to comply with this policy and hang their art here. I'm certainly willing to facilitate how that happens. "It's really disappointing to hear there's been this misunderstanding that's gotten so much media because FHA never ordered the art down."
