Welcoming Furry Friends Commissioned Canine Portraits at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Created by Patrick Sean O’Malley, Artist, Musician, Songwriter.
It was in the summer of 2006 when Patrick Sean O’Malley was commissioned to paint his first mural at Torrance Memorial Medical Center; four scenic wooden panels to be placed around the outdoor cafeteria seating area. The panels were so well received that more panels were added to cover the entire seating area and surround it with beautiful nature scenes.
Sean also added several animals throughout the beautiful landscape scenery, including this mother grizzly and her cubs.
Following the cafeteria project, Sean painted several other murals throughout the medical center, including a 78-foot temporary construction wall outside of the Transitional Care Unit. That mural also contained nature scenes and several cute, furry friends. We think that the various animals that Sean included in the nature scenes is what sparked the idea for his next project, which would become his most infamous art project at Torrance Memorial; painting 22 dog portraits for the Canine Pet Visitation Program.
This initial round of dog portraits was created primarily to beautify a menacing construction barrier during the demolition and rebuilding of the Outpatient Surgery Building.
The “gallery” which was an exterior covered walkway, was unveiled on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2007, at a special unveiling ceremony. More than a dozen dogs and their owners were present to view the portraits for the first time. A few volunteers were moved to tears when they saw how well Sean had captured and conveyed their pet’s personalities on the canvas.
When the construction staging area on medical center drive was completed and cleared, the portraits of dogs that had passed away or retired were given to their owners.
The initial set of canine portraits were so well-liked and admired that Sean painted another round of 27 portraits starting in 2011 and ending in 2012. Those portraits were placed in various areas throughout the medical center.
The canine visitation program, along with the adorable and lifelike dog portraits, was becoming increasingly popular and seeing the portraits all throughout the medical center brought so much happiness to patients, visitors, and staff. You can see people smile instantly when they see the portraits hanging on the walls throughout the medical center, which can be very uplifting, especially during times of healthcare recovery.
On Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2022, 15 years to the day from when the original portraits were first shown to staff, physicians, volunteers and the public, a new round of 15 dog portraits was unveiled at a special ceremony. All the previous canine portraits were gifted to the dog owners and the portrait display refreshed with the current Pet Visitation program participants.
Seeing a new round of beautifully painted canine portraits was a much needed and welcome sight, especially after 2 years of pandemic uncertainty.
The portraits are currently hanging in a frequently traveled hallway near the west entrance where they can be easily seen and enjoyed.
A wonderful video was made by TMMC to give further insight and information on the canine pet visitation program and to show the intricate process of how Sean goes through the steps to develop the final piece. https://vimeo.com/699880290/81c1b1dff1
Sean’s wife Melissa, who also works at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, put together their own video which Sean narrates and explains the different painting stages of each dog. He also tells us some special little stories about each dog and/or his painting techniques.
More info:
Sean was raised in the southern California south bay area and attended North Torrance High. He is also an accomplished musician and bass player and he and his wife, Melissa, are in several local bands and write and record original music as well. They have four children and still reside in the south bay.
Please visit our website to see various other murals and portraits that were painted at Torrance Memorial Medical Center and at several different locations. The website is currently being updated, so check back frequently for new photos!
Website (currently updating): www.omalleyart.com
