Inspire Us Recipient Artwork

Inspire Us Recipient Artwork

Fifth Floor Artwork

Here is the artwork found on the fifth floor of our Cochlear Americas headquarters. Click on an image to see a larger version of that art.

Happy Birthday Mo -
We’ve been documenting the CI journey through images, sound, and words. It was January 2018 and Caroline’s first anniversary of activation was coming up. She (we) loves “Mo” (her Kanso). Caroline diligently posts her weekly battery change schedule (every two days whether it needs it or not—usually it’s close enough). This image captures Mo’s first birthday. Caroline kept every battery since activation day. We took a digital image of a Kanso, printed it large, and then arranged exactly one year of Kanso batteries (worth every penny for OTE) into an effigy of Mo.

Andreas S.

Edmonton, Alberta - Canada

I chose to paint a bird in a tree because with my cochlear implant, I can now hear the birds singing and the ruffles of the trees when a light breeze is in the air. My hearing journey started at the age of five. By age 11, I got my first pair of hearing aids where for the first time I could hear a simple car running. Unfortunately, my hearing would continue to deteriorate and my hearing aids would continue to be a stronger model. I was 46 when I got my first cochlear implant and oh wow, I was hearing sounds I never imagined hearing. It was almost overwhelming! I love my cochlear!

Anna M.

Florence, Alabama

I live in a rural area, so to me the sounds of nature have always been a natural part of my daily life and I’ve discovered that many sounds indicate the time of the year. Such as a thunder storm, which is a sign of spring time. In 2002, I had totally lost my hearing due to a buildup of granulation tissue in my Mastoid cavities related to a rare condition. Being that my hearing loss was gradual, I had adapted except for the fact I would never again hear nature; like birds singing, falling rain, and the most treasured sound of a thunder storm. Shortly after my hearing loss, I was considered a candidate for a Baha sound processor. The process was a simple same day procedure for the implantation of the abutment and within 3 months, I was allowed to snap on the sound processor and could hear clearly again. Now, when I hear a thunder storm, I stop what I’m doing and treasure the sound I hear. Without the Baha, I would not be able to hear the rumble of thunder or anything else for that matter. As a child, I have always been drawn to art. Which leads me to talk about my thunder storm painting done on Yupo paper in watercolor. I was recently introduced to Yupo paper and I felt the freedom of the paint on this paper would provide a perfect thunder storm painting. I hope you agree. Again, thank you for the Baha device.

Carol W.

Mahaffey, Pennsylvania

I painted this soon after I went suddenly deaf. It shows the vibrations of sounds and looking for the beauty during a challenge.

Cat B.

Palm Beach Shores, Florida

A really special hearing moment for me after being activated was hearing the surf. I had forgotten that the waves at the beach actually had sound. I just wanted to sit there forever listening to the waves come to shore. I design and hand make greeting cards. My artwork is a card. The front has die cut wavy lines in monochrome blues to represent the ocean. Interspersed are bits of clear vellum paper to show water. A stamped and hand cut sailboat floats among the waves. The brown wavy strip at the bottom is for sand. The stamped palm tree and beach ball are colored with ink blending pens, cut out, and secured to the front. Inside the card is a message “wishing you bright sunshine and smooth sailing”; an encouraging message for any Cochlear recipient. Accenting the message is another palm tree.

Donna W.

Bedford, Indiana

I lost the hearing in my left ear when I was four years old and learned to live actively with partial hearing. Later, 13 years ago, I began to lose hearing in my right ear. It was unknown if cochlear implants would be effective. I wondered what I would do if I had no hearing and decided that photography would be a satisfying hobby. I researched equipment, took classes, and my photography improved. Images have been exhibited in a couple of shows and a few have sold. In the meantime, my bilateral cochlear implants have successfully allowed me to hear again.
This image is of the barrio viejo in Tucson Arizona. In the 1880’s and ‘90’s, this was home to a culturally diverse community of working-class people from America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Much of it was destroyed in the 1960s for urban renewal but significant city blocks have been restored and again reused by a diverse population. The buildings are well loved by both inhabitants and visitors. The renewed barrio viejo is not only useful but also preserves some of Tucson’s architectural history.

Ellen F.

Denver, Colorado

As an audiology student, I love all things relating to the ear. I painted this for my clinic coordinator.

Emily C.

Lebanon, New Hampshire

I call this pen and ink drawing on packing paper “Connections.” I began by trying to draw the cochlea of the ear, which you see in the upper left-hand corner of the photograph, and was inspired by its interesting coiling shape. It reminded me of the Starship Enterprise, and then of a snail, and then of a fish and, as you can see, the drawing kind of took on a life of its own after that—all a kind of contemplation of the shape of the cochlea.

Janet M.

Bedford, Texas

I wanted to paint a self-portrait but didn’t want to paint just my face. That was boring. So, I thought about who I was. I know lots of people with hearing loss who will aggressively say they are not defined by their hearing loss. But as someone with a lifelong hearing loss, I thought, “I AM defined by my hearing loss.” I came up with the idea of an ear with my head as the earring. Later I made an intaglio print of my design and added other elements (lace and paper cut-outs of flowers) to add to it.

Kate J.

Bellevue, Washington

Experiences evoke feelings expressed in poetry. This is a poem of my journey following rehab. A poem (after finishing speech and hearing rehab).

Kay W.

London, Ohio

My daughter had a seizure and lost her hearing in one ear. She has delayed speech and with hearing loss it became difficult to understand. She quit watching TV and withdrew from interacting with sound. After her implant, she could hear on her phone and the cat purr. She started watching TV and her speech returned to its original clarity. She can hear conversations around her!

Mary W.

Amarillo, Texas

My First Sounds - Over a period of 15 years, I had worn both analog and digital hearing aids. Two years ago, my audiologist informed me I had reached the end of any further adjustments. At that point she recommended that I consider a cochlear implant. After consultation, I considered the implant and discovered that there was a research program going on at Ohio State University. After their evaluation I became a candidate and entered the program. This included a comprehensive rehab program. Additionally, I did considerable online rehabilitation. I was so pleased that I was receiving the latest state of the art cochlear implant and hearing device. The whole process was great fun for me as I was an electrical engineer before my retirement. “My first sounds” reflects the sound of air rustling among the trees in our backyard. The second was the sound of birds. Hearing sounds I thought I lost is a joy. My painting represents my hearing before a cochlear implant where my life was gray, dark and messy. My cochlear implant opened a life of colorful sounds.

Richard R.

Painesville, Ohio

Bubbles, Birdies, My Buddy and Popcorn: October 2012 – Cochlear implant is placed—A Halloween Treat! November 2012 – Cochlear implant is turned on—A Thanksgiving blessing! Afterwards, at home I washed something in the bathroom sink. My head turning, snapping all around…looking for…. POPCORN in the BATHROOM? Why such a knee jerk reaction? BUBBLES BURSTING from the soapsuds! Amazing!!! Awesome!!! Adoring!!! I hear forgotten sounds—be still my heart! NO! Sing with joy! Now I wake up to birdsong outside my bedroom doors. A wren lives outside my kitchen door and serenades me all day. Best of all, playing and chatting, talking and joking, reading and singing with my buddy, my pal, my little love. What a blessing! I’m jumping for joy! I’m dizzy with delight! BIG THANKS to all involved in this wonderful magical device.

Rosalind K.

Chardon, Ohio

I have been hard of hearing since the age of thirteen. With the fear of not being able to fit in with my peers in mainstream school, I subjected myself to social isolation. Ever since, artwork has been my solace, my calming agent. After I got my Cochlear N6 at the age of 19, I decided to dedicate myself to the field of audiology. Today, I am studying the Doctor of Audiology program and officially mentoring for Cochlear Americas. Cochlear helped me get my confidence and ambition back, and I have a wonderful circle of supportive friends, some who are hard of hearing themselves. Everyday, I hope to help others experience the benefits of Cochlear technology just like I have. My artwork displays Connie the cochlea with semicircular canals. Just like many artists out there that receive inspiration from an environment around them, I am no exception. My experiences so far in audiology school have been invigorating, and I cannot get enough of it. When I turn to art to wind down at the end of the day, audiology doesn’t seem to leave my mind. Hence, I drew Connie the Cochlea earlier this year with fine tip permanent markers when I was studying auditory biology and head and neck anatomy in school. I hope everyone gets to see how tiny our cochleas are, yet how prominent its significance is in our daily lives. Thank you for this opportunity, Cochlear! Because of your technology, “I can hear now and always!”

Saahi K.

Richmond Hill, Ontario - Canada

This is a creative illustration of the brain in the form of art called zentangles. Just like many artists out there that receive inspiration from an environment around them, I am no exception. My experiences so far in audiology school have been invigorating, and I cannot get enough of it. When I turn to art to wind down at the end of the day, audiology doesn’t seem to leave my mind. My neuroscience professor once mentioned that the brain stem and cerebellum sitting together look like a hummingbird. Hence, I attempted to illustrate the brain from my professor’s lens. All other structures such as; gray and white matter, medulla, pons, lobes, etc. are creatively and seamlessly integrated.”

Saahi K.

Richmond Hill, Ontario - Canada

Linear drawing of music to my ears... silence sounds from dark to colorful noises.

Sandra S.

Forreston, Illinois

I was born with a birth defect where my left ear canal is blocked by bone and I cannot hear out of it. I don’t have a standard of how hearing should be, or how easily it should be to locate sound, but thanks to my Cochlear Baha my ears can take in so much more than it could’ve before, and furthermore grows my understanding of what’s going on in the world around me.

Schantelle A.

Chicago, Illinois

This was the first word that my wife heard during her activation back in May 2019. I wanted her to have a reminder of that day, which was really emotional for all of us there.

Tom P.

Clearwater, Florida

Other Floor Artwork:

Explore other artwork found on other floors of our Cochlear Americas headquarters.

1st Floor Artwork

3rd Floor Artwork

4th Floor Artwork

Views expressed are those of the individual. Consult your health professional to determine if you are a candidate for Cochlear technology.