Area residents can buy a piece of St. Joseph’s Hospital next weekend.

The Parkersburg Art Center and Camden Clark Foundation are collaborating on an art sale that will offer 410 pieces of artwork that once adorned the hallways, offices, treatment areas, common areas and patient rooms at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

The preview sale, or “area art history” event, will be 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at the Parkersburg Art Center for former employees of St. Joseph’s Hospital and current employees of Camden Clark Medical Center. Those attending this pre-opening are asked to present proof of their hospital affiliation, such as an ID tag, or badge, or employee card, said Abby Hayhurst, art center director.

The general public can attend the sale from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24, at the art center. No admission will be charged at either reception.

Those who purchase artwork can take their art home with them the day of the tag sale.

Prints, posters and mirrors will be offered for sale, Hayhurst said. The prints will be in frames.

Religious items from the former St. Joseph’s Hospital will not be available for sale.

CCMC employees transported the religious statues, pews and paintings to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Wheeling, said Keith McClung, an art center board member, who is credited with developing the idea to sell the hospital artwork. McClung said the Sisters of St. Joseph donated some of these former hospital items to Catholic churches and schools.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Wheeling opened St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1900. The hospital closed in 2014 as the St. Joseph’s Campus of Camden Clark Medical Center.

Proceeds from the sale will be split between the Parkersburg Art Center and the Employee Aid Fund at the Camden Clark Foundation.

The foundation fund provides assistance to CCMC employees who face an unforeseen financial crisis beyond their control, said Kim Couch, foundation executive director.

“We assist 35-50 employees each year. The Employee Aid Fund committee also coordinates our internal Secret Santa program which provided 74 hospital employees’ children with Christmas gifts this year,” Couch said.

Couch noted the artwork for sale next weekend features landscapes, portraits and wildlife, of all periods and genres. Don Whitlatch original prints will be available.

The art sale contains many florals, Hayhurst said.

The artwork will be reasonably priced, Couch said. The sale is a positive effort to find new homes for the artwork and raise money for the art center and the Employee Aid Fund, she said.

Orders for reprints of St. Joseph’s School of Nursing graduates photographs will be accepted at the art sale.

The art center is devoting all of its exhibit space on the first floor and the mezzanine for the art sale, Hayhurst said. Artwork will be hung as for an art show.

It took three months and many volunteers to remove the paintings and transport them to the art center, where the pieces are being cleaned and glass repaired.

Altrusa Club members took photographs of and documented items removed from the former St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Even if a person doesn’t like the artwork, some excellent frames will be available for sale, Hayhurst said.

After the opening weekend, the art sale will continue daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., ending Jan. 30.

An archives area has been established at the Camden Clark Foundation to house items from both local hospitals, McClung said. These items include birth records, medical books and the original photographs of nursing school graduates.

Contact Paul LaPann at plapann@newsandsentinel.com