If I Weren ’ t a Doctor , I ’ d Be a Mosaic Artist
Pepper ( our family pet poodle ) Upcycled table top ( Om superimposed on Star of David )
by LISA R . KLEIN , MD
Pediatric cardiology “ grabbed me ” from the moment I walked into the cath conference on my first day of my pediatric cardiology rotation as a fourth-year medical student . Prior to that , I had known that I wanted to be a doctor from the age of four . I always knew that caring for children would be in my future , but the smorgasbord of learning that was medical school made choosing a subspecialty extremely challenging . When I saw the amazing angiograms and ultrasound images and heard the fascinating discussion that would formulate a plan to save a child with complex congenital heart disease , I felt as though I was “ home .”
Following pediatric cardiology fellowship and during my subsequent three plus decades career , I had several opportunities to travel and have experiences outside of work . Starting in 2000 , I made a pact with myself that I would try “ something new ” each year . Most of these were fairly unremarkable such as ziplining , snowshoeing and drawing . Several of these have “ stuck ” and I have continued doing yoga , taking harp lessons , planting a vegetable garden and doing Pilates regularly .
In early 2017 , my husband and I had the good fortune to travel to Israel in conjunction with Partnership2Gether , an organization that matches various regions in the U . S . and Europe with areas in Israel . These connections are created based on common interests . We toured the Galilee Medical Center , meeting several physicians and hospital administrators . But what intrigued me the most was a beautiful mosaic in the lobby of the hospital . It wasn ’ t until later in the trip when we took a hike at Tzipori National Park that I saw many more mosaics . These were embedded in the ground , exposed to the elements ; some were covered by ruins of ancient structures . I soaked it all in , all the while doing my best to keep up with the hiking group .
A photographer / friend who joined us for the hike approached me later that evening , reflecting on the natural beauty of the Tzipori National Park . He also pointed out to me that my face “ just lit up ” while looking at the mosaics and he encouraged me to find a mosaic artist in Louisville to teach me how to create mosaics . After querying several friends in the Louisville art world , I found a mosaic artist offering a weekly workshop at her studio . Although she left the design to me , she taught me about types of tesserae , tools for cutting and smoothing , adhesives , substrates , grouting and mounting hardware . The workshop was originally slated as open-ended , however , after only one month , she shared that her studio was relocating , and I had only several more weeks to finish my project . Unfortunately , the new studio space could not accommodate workshop students .
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