Artwork Celebrates Hope at Cook Children's Prosper Chapel
One-of-a-kind piece creates connections for people of all ages and faiths.
By Jean Yaeger
An artwork titled “Here Comes the Sun” blends a whimsical mix of images to inspire and comfort visitors in the chapel at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper.
You’ll see snippets of children’s drawings, storybook characters, animals, words of affirmation and old photos glued together on this unique panel. McKinney artist Jim Wilson created the custom abstract work, which measures 4.5 x 6.5 feet.
“Here Comes the Sun” invites viewers to look closely, like it’s a puzzle or game of I Spy. Wilson estimates he used more than a thousand strips of paper and cut-outs to design the intricate landscape. Scenes contain kids in various poses: at play, kneeling at prayer, in a wheelchair, arm in a sling. SpongeBob SquarePants makes an appearance. So does this message: “You are loved.”
Crews installed the artwork in January 2024 in time for the medical center’s first anniversary. Its location – on a wall between the chapel’s water feature and colorful windows – makes a focal point for anyone seeking a peaceful spot for prayerful contemplation or rest. 
“It’s beautiful,” said chaplain Amanda Payne Lindsay, M. Div. “Every time I stand in front of it, I see something new.”
Payne Lindsay described the artwork as interactive, playful and inclusive for people of all backgrounds. Like the chapel itself, the piece is diverse and welcoming to people of every faith, or no particular faith. It speaks to the universal nature of hope. 
“Almost every religion is based on hope,” she said. “Whatever our spiritual tradition, we can identify with hope, and we believe in love. Those are ways we find connections.”
Visitors of all ages, from toddlers to teens to adults, can find those connections and moments of magic when they encounter “Here Comes the Sun.” Here’s how the finished product came together.
A Team Approach
Wilson works in a mixed media style, which incorporates assorted materials. Some of the materials used to create the Cook Children’s chapel artwork came from the children themselves. Patients who wanted to join the project were given crayons, paint and prompts such as:
- What is God like?
- What is love?
- What questions do you have for God?
- What makes you feel better?
Wilson then cut the children’s pictures apart, assembling the fragments onto the panel. The handwritten word “Hope” stands out. So does a baseball. 
After the artwork was installed, the boy who drew the baseball came to the medical center for a chemotherapy infusion. He stopped by the chapel and was excited to see his baseball -- somewhat hidden, but recognizable in the panel’s midsection.
“His face lit up,” Payne Lindsay recalled. “We talked about how this art is going to be there for a really long time. After he’s done with his treatments and leaves Cook Children’s, he’ll know that a little piece of him is preserved here.”
Wilson said he considers the patients his fellow artists and collaborators. The parts contributed by the children add imagination and authenticity.
“I just think it makes it such a richer piece. It gives it a depth I couldn’t do on my own,” he said.
The artwork also honors patients from the past. The medical center in Prosper opened in 2023, but the roots of Cook Children’s Health Care System date back to 1918. “Here Comes the Sun” pays tribute to history by including a photo from the Cook Children’s archives that depicts a young polio patient.
Also pasted into the artwork are artifacts such as a Cook Ranch land survey, architectural renderings and newspaper clippings that highlight Cook Children’s mission to provide excellence in pediatric health services.
Payne Lindsay credited Wilson with skillfully assembling the various pieces in a way that forms a cohesive whole. Along with soft lighting and the ambient sounds from the waterfall, the artwork contributes to a soothing environment for chapel-goers.
“He thought deeply about the space,” she said. “He took it to heart and produced something so beautiful.”
Inspiration and Inclusion
Setting out, Wilson wanted to understand the perspectives of patients and their families in the context of the chapel. So he read from the Quran, the Torah, the Bible and other texts. He also spoke with hospital employees to get a sense of the emotional impact of treating critical injuries and illnesses in children. It was important to him to strike the right tone in the chapel, which offers refuge for visitors who might be experiencing grief or fear.
“I see it as a holy piece. It’s in a holy place, and it’s about big things,” he said.
Wilson worked on the panel off and on for about six months in his warehouse studio. His tools? An Exacto knife, painter’s tape, paint, glue and an acrylic finish brushed on at the end.
Music contributes to Wilson’s inspiration as an artist. One day, after listening to the Beatles, he chose the title “Here Comes the Sun” to amplify the themes of hope and joy.
The artwork emerged and evolved, he said, until one day he knew it was finished. Nothing else needed to be added. The end result looked to Wilson like a combination of playground, hospital and heaven.
“I hope everybody likes it. I hope it’s meaningful – something that people can relate to, and see themselves and their story, and maybe understand someone else’s story,” he said. “It was a huge honor for me to be part of this unique project, and I’m very, very grateful.”
About the Chapel
While it’s not open to the public, the nondenominational chapel at Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper is available day and night for admitted patients, their families and our employees. The setting promotes a sense of tranquility for body, mind and spirit. If they wish, visitors may make prayer requests or use the books and prayer rugs provided.
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Chaplains at the Cook Children’s medical centers in Fort Worth and Prosper provide the spiritual support you desire. We accompany patients and their families with a compassionate presence. Our Spiritual Care team can connect you to worship services, provide a PrayerBear or prayer journal, arrange for a blessing ceremony, consult on ethical issues and much more.
