9th Annual Hospice Holiday Ornament

The 2022 Hospice Ornament Sale is going on now! This year’s featured artist is Brianna Reagan, and she’s created a beautiful birch ornament series featuring birds native to Alaska. Applying a mixed media approach, each ornament is hand painted and then printed with a handmade stamp, accented with smaller details.

Which one is your favorite? The chickadee, raven, Sandhill crane, woodpecker, owl, nuthatch, or ptarmigan?

Brianna is a fine artist who loves the sea and all things in nature.

“I am extremely curious about the natural world, and I often explore themes of animals, plants, or seasons,” says Brianna. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to use my art and my platform and to partner with the Hospital Foundation to benefit the Hospice department — I’ve always been an advocate for supporting local, so this is such a great opportunity for me to encourage others to take part in that."

Kim Huffington, past director of Hospice Services, brought the tradition from Sangre de Cristo Hospice in Canon City, Colorado. For Christmas, Sangre de Cristo held a tree-lighting ceremony to remember all the patients the staff cared for and their families. The first ornaments were paper angels. The following year, a patient’s family member, an artist, was inspired to donate hand-made ornaments. Huffington saw value in the tradition and brought it with her to Fairbanks.

“It is a way to commemorate and remember those patients we have cared for,” said Huffington. “And a way for families to give back if they’d like. Anyone can buy an ornament that serves as a gentle reminder of those we have lost.”

Ornament proceeds benefit the Hospice Seasons of Life fund.

The ornament sale started in 2014. Past featured artists include Corlis Taylor, Bethany Cassell, Carol Zada, Yoriko Freed, Thomas Hart, Rebecca Mulholland, and Cabin Fever Quilters Guild, and the variety of ornaments has been astonishing. In past years ornaments have been crafted from various mediums, including glass, copper, clay, beads, and fabric. You’ll find stunning ornaments from past years at the sale!

All ornaments are $20 each and can be found at the Hospice Services office at 2001 Gillam Way or the Foundation offices at 542ST. You can pay with cash, credit, or checks payable to the Fairbanks Hospital Foundation.

The Hospice Program has nurses, social workers, and chaplains available 24/7 via phone or person. This ensures that individuals and their families have access to the best care to support the final season of life. Thank you for your support!

The Hospice Services team and the Foundation are grateful for Brianna’s support and contributions to this year’s ornament sale. If you think her name is familiar, it’s because she used to work for FHP before she dove into her new role as a full-time artist!