The Healing Tree

Object NameInstallation (Mural)

Artist / Maker Michaela Mahady (American, 1951 - 2020)

Date2010

MediumEtched glass mural

Dimensions318 x 427 in (26.5 x 35.58 feet)

ClassificationsArchitecture, Architectural Ornamentation and Elements

Credit LineFunded by the Art in State Buildings project for the Lloyd Veterinary Hospital. In the Art on Campus Collection, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Object numberU2010.90

Status

On view

Collections

CultureAmerican

Label TextFrom the University Museums Collections Handbook, vol. 2, 2025: The public art statement for the large glass installations, collectively titled The Healing Tree, in the Veterinary Medicine Building intended to inspire a work of art that would “celebrate compassion provided by the most diverse of all health professions and animals’ roles in our society. The work will educate regarding our heritage, our traditions, and our commitment to the enhancement of animal, human, and environmental health by the application of scientific discovery. The artwork communicates the diversity of the veterinary profession.” A large multi-part installation of etched glass windows, Mahady’s work of art illustrates the history of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State and the discipline as a whole, showing vaccine development, traveling veterinarians, food safety, and the human-animal connection vital to Veterinary Science. Following this etched glass hallway, the installation ends in a multi-story image of The Healing Tree. Animals, from domestic to exotic, are intertwined within the large tree, with a center ring and sun image illustrating the tree of life and all living beings. The image serves as inspiration for those working in the building and illustrates the wide-reaching influence of the veterinary medicine practice.

Locations