Connections: December 2023 - 8

A different side to Michael Calderwood
His art brings ideas to life
Left: " In Our Hands, " 2023. Acrylic paints on canvas. Above: A collage of Calderwood's work
Even if you don't know him personally,
you've probably heard of Michael
Calderwood, MD, MPH, Dartmouth
Hitchcock Medical Center's chief
quality officer. Because of COVID-19,
he has been in the media quite a bit in
the past few years, and his frequent
video updates provided people in
New Hampshire and Vermont with
information to help them stay safe. In
addition, Calderwood is an associate
professor of medicine at the Geisel
School of Medicine at Dartmouth and a
staff physician in Infectious Disease &
International Health.
Here's something you may not know
about him-he's an artist. Soon his artwork
will be featured on the cover of Infection
Control and Hospital Epidemiology (ICHE),
the journal of the Society for Healthcare
Epidemiology of America (SHEA), of which
he is an active member. The goal of the
cover artwork, according to the journal, is
" to provide readers with a visual reminder ...
of the importance of the work being done
by all who are trying to make healthcare
safer through the elimination of healthcareassociated
infections. "
For the journal's January 2024 issue,
Calderwood has created " In Our Hands " to
illustrate a story about the need to improve
hand hygiene in healthcare facilities. The
hand held in an upward " stop " position with
" PREVENT " written on the palm is combined
with fingers painted in different colors to
represent various infections. The colors are
then, as Calderwood puts it, " melded into a
singular patina reminding us once again to
wash our hands, as clean hands really do
save lives. "
He adds that the hand in the painting is
also symbolic of the healthcare community:
" Those who, in the past few years, held the
hand of patients, family, friends and fellow
healthcare workers who were suffering,
and have stood hand-in-hand facing the
unknown, overcoming obstacles and
navigating the path forward. "
Calderwood started painting in 2015. At the
time, his artistic endeavors consisted solely
of photography, a passion since high school.
Then, one day, he says, " I came upon a
series of Bob Ross videos on 'The Joy
of Painting.' After a few videos, I began
to think, this is something I could do,
and if it doesn't work out, this guy is a
hoot, and very relaxing to watch, sort
of like meditation. "
Calderwood's first painting was a
snowy mountain with a lake, which
he says his mother " was kind enough
to frame. " After his Bob Ross period
with oil paints and landscapes, he explored
other artists, experimenting with acrylic
and watercolor paints, along with brushes,
sponges and other tools.
" During the pandemic, painting was a
great way to take my mind off of work, "
Calderwood says. " Not all of the projects
worked out as planned, but I gained a lot
more confidence in my ability to bring an
idea to life. " Plus, he adds, " It is a great way to
connect with others, sharing a different side
of you than people see at work. "
Michael
Calderwood,
MD, MPH

Connections: December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Connections: December 2023