“Imagination” Will Hang at Children’s Hospital in Memory of Best Friend
Nearly 1,200 voters select Primary Children’s Medical Center’s newest piece of art.

Salt Lake City, November 16, 2007 – Utah artist Todd Powelson’s painting, “Imagination,” will hang in Primary Children’s Medical Center’s Behavioral Unit after a brief public viewing on the hospital’s third floor. The public chose which of Powelson’s paintings would be donated by voting on his website during September. Powelson is donating the painting in memory of Ben Schmidt, a childhood friend.

"We would like to thank Todd for donating this beautiful painting to benefit patients, families and the staff at Primary Children's Medical Center,” says Marie Hendriksen, Gift in Kind Coordinator. “Todd's artwork will help comfort and entertain anyone who sees it."

Powelson and Schmidt took the same classes, listened to the same music, and even attended a Sadie Hawkins dance together, both sporting wheel chairs, when neither could find a date. But, there was one big thing the boys did not share: Schmidt was terminally ill.

Schmidt died at age 18 of Freidrich’s Ataxia, a rare genetic disease that damaged his heart. Even though he died half of Todd’s lifetime ago, Powelson still thinks about Schmidt every day.

“I’m glad that my artwork will be placed in the Behavioral Unit where kids are treated for things like depression and substance abuse,” says Powelson. “I’d rather see my work hanging at Primary Children’s Medical Center with Ben’s name on it than in an art gallery. I believe in the healing power of art and I hope that it brings some light into children's lives as they are working on recovery.””