Methodist Hospital Reflection Garden Grows With Compassion, Creativity and Generosity

From left: KBMP artist Kimmie Hale, Kathy Koslosky and KBMP artists Etta Salzman and Sicily Manganaro

Water bubbles over the rocks. The sun streams through the slats of a new pergola. Look closely, and you might spot a frog, butterflies or a winged fairy. A garden oasis outside Methodist Hospital — the Adam M. Koslosky Reflection Garden — is growing beautifully, and beyond expectation.

“If Adam could have sat out there with his grandchildren, that would have been such a joy to him,” said Kathy Koslosky, Adam’s wife of 40 years and the catalyst behind the relaxing space.

Family members dedicated the garden in 2020, two years after losing Adam to colon cancer. The retreat for patients, visitors and staff has been blossoming ever since. New benches and stone planters complement the most ambitious enhancement yet: a vibrant garden mural.

Several young creatives and a talented mentor turned a nondescript grey wall into a three-part work of art. Spray-painted landscapes bustle with trees, plants and wildlife – the frog, butterflies and winged fairy included. A flowing stream connects the sections, each depicting a different time of day, time of year or season of life, depending on your interpretation.

“I love the whimsicality of the theme and the journey it portrays,” Kathy said.

Methodist Hospital and Methodist Hospital Foundation partnered with Joslyn Art Museum’s Kent Bellows Mentoring Program (KBMP) to create the mural. Mentor Hugo Zamorano worked with students Kimmie Hale, Sicily Manganaro, Marcel Nash, Anna (Cedar) Palmer, Etta Salzman and Dasia Wilson to move the project from design to completion in November 2022.

“We read up on the garden and pulled out themes: reflection, healing and rejuvenation,” Zamorano said. “Then we started sketching ideas and looking at composition.”

Even though it was time- and labor-intensive, he said the artists were excited to learn and be part of the process. KBMP manager Pamela Hinson said she was proud to see the wall – and the students – transformed.

“There was a level of pride,” she said. “It’s become a part of their legacy – something they’re giving back to Kathy and Adam’s family and so many other families.”

Kathy’s hope is simple: that people use and benefit from the growing garden. She’s touched knowing it has hosted events including a summer solstice party and pet therapy sessions.

“The garden is about celebration and reflection,” Kathy said. “The Foundation and the designers have done such a wonderful job of incorporating so much that we never envisioned. My family is ecstatic.”