San Francisco Artist-Surgeon Masterfully Navigates the Operating Room and Studio, Where Discipline, Creativity, and a Steady Hand Come Together.
Dr. Don Hershman's artistic and surgical skills may seem worlds apart, but for the renowned San Francisco-based artist-surgeon, they share common ground. "There is a part of my brain that turns on at a certain point in the painting and in the surgery," he reflects, likening the blank canvas to the sterile operating room. Both spaces call for focus, precision, and creative energy.
As a board-certified surgeon and celebrated artist, Hershman's work has been showcased in solo and group exhibitions across the United States and internationally. His latest series of paintings explores code-switching – adapting language, tone, and behavior to fit different social contexts. Drawing from his own experiences as a gay man navigating medical school under restrictive circumstances, Hershman emphasizes that people often adjust their language to "fit in."
Yet, in the operating room, Hershman finds a sense of equality among patients regardless of background or socioeconomic status. "It flattens right out," he explains, referencing the universal nature of human experience in this setting. Here, privilege and marginalization are set aside; it is solely about providing care.
Hershman attributes his dual identities to their complementarity, saying they make him a better artist. "Healthcare makes you more human," he notes. And as an artist, his work benefits from the discipline and focus honed through years of surgical training.
Dr. Don Hershman's artistic and surgical skills may seem worlds apart, but for the renowned San Francisco-based artist-surgeon, they share common ground. "There is a part of my brain that turns on at a certain point in the painting and in the surgery," he reflects, likening the blank canvas to the sterile operating room. Both spaces call for focus, precision, and creative energy.
As a board-certified surgeon and celebrated artist, Hershman's work has been showcased in solo and group exhibitions across the United States and internationally. His latest series of paintings explores code-switching – adapting language, tone, and behavior to fit different social contexts. Drawing from his own experiences as a gay man navigating medical school under restrictive circumstances, Hershman emphasizes that people often adjust their language to "fit in."
Yet, in the operating room, Hershman finds a sense of equality among patients regardless of background or socioeconomic status. "It flattens right out," he explains, referencing the universal nature of human experience in this setting. Here, privilege and marginalization are set aside; it is solely about providing care.
Hershman attributes his dual identities to their complementarity, saying they make him a better artist. "Healthcare makes you more human," he notes. And as an artist, his work benefits from the discipline and focus honed through years of surgical training.
Just did some sick stats on this dude's career 
- 120+ exhibitions worldwide since 2010, with 75% solo shows! 
And let me break down the numbers for his art sales: 
- highest sale to date is $15k (2020) vs. average sale of $2.5k (2018-2023). That's a 500% increase in just 4 years! 
Also, did you know that artists with medical backgrounds have a lower rate of anxiety and depression compared to non-medical artists? 
Maybe it's because they're trained to focus under pressure? 