Physician’s abstract art featured at Cocoa Beanery exhibit
Noel H. Ballentine, MD, a general internist and geriatrician at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, spends his free time creating pen-and-ink art.
Examples of his work will be on display at the Cocoa Beanery rotating art exhibits beginning March 22. Visitors may view the art at this location until May 17. The 10 pieces of art will then move to the Community Art Gallery outside Room T2500 at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Center Stage Arts in Health and the Hershey Area Art Association curated this exhibit. Dr. Ballentine created this artwork simply as abstract artistic inventions. His visual expression represents musical jazz. Each piece generally begins as a random abstract flow of lines or curves in black ink – the musical analogy would be the background rhythm of drums and bass. The inventions enthrall and compel the viewer to enter into the lines, colors and textures of the piece. Viewers may see something in the piece to relate to, such as a flower, a figure, a butterfly, a pool of water or the sky. Images may evoke emotion – peace, tranquility, anger or despair. It may be pleasing or uncomfortable, but the intent is to elicit intriguing, fascinating and satisfying reactions.
A practitioner for 38 years, Dr. Ballentine is engaged in geriatric care and the teaching of geriatrics to resident physicians and medical students. In 2020, his artwork was featured on the front cover of the Department of Humanities art and literary journal, Wild Onions.
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