Houston Arts Couple Taps Into Doctors’ Creativity for The Arts of Healing

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There is a lifetime of travel and story, art and emotion just beyond the wooden door leading to Lori and Dr. Isaac Raijman’s West University home. Just one step into their spacious courtyard filled with flowers and sculptures, and it’s obvious the couple values beauty that’s more than skin deep. It’s what led them to establish The Arts of Healing, a nonprofit organization blending art and medicine for the benefit of doctors, their patients, and nonprofit medical organizations.

The Houston couple’s connection to medicine is rooted in Isaac Raijman’s career as a doctor specializing in gastroenterology and Lori’s career as a teacher. Like many medical professionals, Isaac’s talents extend to the creative as a painter. Lori handles everything from creating Isaac’s website to selling his artwork and planning gallery shows. Together, they are a dynamic duo focused on showcasing the creative talents of doctors in the Houston community through The Arts of Healing. The organization launched in 2017, with Lori leading the charge.

“I wondered, can we do an art show featuring physicians art? I was cold calling doctor’s businesses, I didn’t have a network, but you rise to the need and find people who can help you get there,” Lori says.

Turns out, Houston’s medical community is ripe with doctors who are as comfortable on the stage as they are the operating room, given the opportunity and a little nudge. Classically trained musicians, photographers, painters, dancers, DJs, and even a tequila master are among The Arts of Healing ranks. And much like a painting, doctors are a layered bunch. Many didn’t consider their artistic ability something for the masses.

The Raijmans persisted and once Lori discovered the trove of talent, she knew they were onto something. They unveiled The Arts of Healing art show, uniting a diverse array of doctors for a glamorous evening of art, performance, and fundraising.

“They have healthy egos, so nobody brings their B Game, however,  they are also humble and don’t want to be divas,” Lori says. The 2019 Arts of Healing event will be November 8 at the Post Oak Hotel and showcases the work of 24 Houston doctors. Money raised from the event benefits The Sunshine Kids.

While the event is fun, Lori says it’s the long-term benefit of the organization that is even better. Giving doctors a tangible outlet for their creativity deepens their connections between each other, their patients and the Houston medical community at large. Studies show art equips doctors with the creativity and practice to make them better physicians, while also allowing for greater empathy with patients.

An Art House

Isaac Raijman is certainly no stranger to the greater power of art. His sunny second-story studio is where his imagination comes to life and is transferred to the canvas. He embraces color while leaving room for personal interpretation of each painting. Many of his paintings center around the feminine form, but without faces. It’s a way for the observer to see themselves in the image.

The couple’s house is thoughtfully decorated with paintings and sculptures from their global travels, but it’s Raijman’s paintings that really make their presence known. The fiery, dreamlike “Five” painting dominates the entry to the house, connecting Raijman’s use of color and motion throughout the house.

As an educator, Lori incorporated painting into her curriculum with positive results, having her students paint in order to find their “voice”.

“I really believe in the creative process and the benefits of art. ,” Lori says

Connecting to art, connecting to each other. That’s what every creative desires, and it’s what motivates the Raijmans to continue and extend The Arts of Healing mission.

“That’s the cool thing about the foundation,” Lori says. “Artists are doctors, coming together for a greater purpose for their own community. It’s a concept that totally works.”

The Arts of Healing Foundation event is Saturday, Nov. 8 at The Post Oak Hotel. Click here for ticket information. And click through the slideshow above and below this story to see more of Raijman’s house and Isaac’s work.