ROCKPORT — In April, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital’s Family Birth Center welcomed two new original art pieces by an artist with a personal connection to the hospital.

The artist, Miles Merriam, a 15-year-old student at Oceanside High School in Rockland, created the paintings as a way to give back to the place where he was born. Drawing on his love of the Midcoast and his artistic talent, he completed the volunteer service hours required for his high school graduation by creating two pieces inspired by Maine’s natural beauty—Peaceful Beginnings of the Harbor, a harbor scene, and Woodland Lullabies, a forest landscape—each thoughtfully incorporating baby animals.

Merriam dedicated more than 50 hours to the project through the MaineHealth Volunteer Program. He began with digital sketches, which were reviewed and approved by department leadership and care team members. He then carefully brought each piece to life, starting with an underpainting, building color and composition from the skylines down and finishing with the animals and detailed elements that give each scene a whimsical charm.

“I was born in this same birth center 15 years ago and love that everything has come full circle,” Merriam said, in a MaineHealth news release. “I can now give back to the amazing people who brought me into this world, and that makes this gift so special to me.”

For Merriam’s family, the project carries deep personal meaning. His mother, Amy Campbell, DMD, reflected on the care she received during Miles Merriam’s birth, which occurred on her birthday.

“I had the highest confidence in Dr. O’Connor, Dr. McKenna and the entire nursing team,” she said. “This wasn’t the first time Dr. O’Connor had come to our rescue for an emergency delivery.”

Thomas J. O’Connor III, MD, delivered Dr. Campbell’s first son, who arrived unexpectedly via emergency cesarean section. Miles was expected to be born by scheduled cesarean, but he, too, arrived early—16 days ahead of schedule.

In April, Dr. Campbell and Merriam were reunited with Dr. O’Connor and Jennifer McKenna, MD, for a viewing of the finished pieces, which now hang in the Family Birth Center.

“Miles giving this gift to our department is such a symbolic testament to the strong teamwork of our providers and nursing team,” said Jessica Babb Flanary, manager Women’s Health and Central Staffing for MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital. “Every time we walk past the nursery, we’ll remember this beautiful story and smile.”

MaineHealth is a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 23,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth hospitals include MaineHealth Behavioral Health at Spring Harbor in Westbrook, MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington, MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Biddeford and Sanford, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, N.H., MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick, MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital in Rockport, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital in Norway and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital in Belfast. MaineHealth also includes the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, MaineHealth Behavioral Health in Westbrook, MaineHealth Home Health and Hospice in Saco, the MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, the MaineHealth Medical Group and MaineHealth NorDx in Scarborough. MaineHealth affiliates include MaineGeneral Health in Augusta and Waterville. It is also a significant stakeholder in the MaineHealth Accountable Care Organization in Portland and a joint venture partner in the New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland.