There is a common thread between the four sites of Pillar Clinical Research in that the art of Buddy Whitlock draws together each. Not only is Buddy an artist, but he shares our passion for providing compassionate care for others.
An Arkansas native, Buddy was initially inspired to be a nurse when there was a nursing shortage. He was in the process of completing a degree in biology when he realized that he enjoyed working around people. So, he changed his degree to nursing and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. “There are so many things you can do with a nursing degree,” said Buddy, “I felt like it would be a good career with so many possibilities.”
While in nursing school, Buddy was taught by an open-minded clinical instructor who encouraged him to explore mental health nursing at a veteran’s affairs hospital. Although Buddy planned to work with youth, working with the adults was his favorite rotation.
Buddy remained in mental health because it was the best fit. He added, “I enjoyed the time I was able to spend with patients and felt that my skills as a nurse were best suited to working with the mentally ill.” Buddy remained in mental health for over 25 years, focusing on adolescent psychiatry.
Buddy discovered his artistic talents at an early age. “I’ve been doing creative things since I was a kid,” he said. “I grew up in a small town in the country where you had to be creative to fight boredom. I loved being crafty and painting and started doing things like that in high school. That eventually led to painting for income. I would paint children’s murals for extra money during nursing school.”
When asked if his passion for mental health was reflected in his art, Buddy replied, “You really need to be selfless as a nurse and the same as an artist. Not everything I paint is necessarily what I would paint for myself. I paint for other people. I try to think of things that would bring joy and emotion to others. My success as an artist is because my art isn’t just one style I like and expect others to enjoy. I paint more things for others, which has widened my scope and created a range of styles I can paint.”
“The role of an artist,” said Buddy, “requires passion and creativity, but also being open-minded, taking criticism, and adjusting to the needs or wants of others. Artists open the minds of others, start conversations, mold minds, and push limits, but give society beautiful things to see every day.”
About his art changing, Buddy said, “I think my art constantly changes, but there’s always some similarity within my scope of work. I try to stay relevant to what’s in at the time. I ask others for ideas and what they want to see and try to add them to new art. I take feedback well and use it going forward.”
As with his career in nursing, Buddy is inspired to create for others. “As an artist, I would say that primarily what sets me apart is that I do art for people. I don’t paint for myself and expect others to love my aesthetic. When I said selfless, I meant I could only do a couple of styles I like most, but that’s selfish. I want people to see what I do so that it invokes their passion, not mine.”
To learn more about the art created by Buddy Whitlock, visit his website at www.buddywhitlock.com
Founded in 2006 in Richardson, Texas, our flagship location has Phase I-IV capabilities with a dedicated outpatient program and a 60-bed inpatient research unit.
Based near the heart of downtown Chicago and opened in 2018, this site conducts Phase I-IV studies and features outpatient space, a 24-bed inpatient research unit, and a dedicated Phase I unit with 50 beds.
Located in Arkansas' capital and established in 2022, this facility conducts Phase I-IV studies and features an 8-bed inpatient unit and outpatient space.
This modern center in Northwest Arkansas opened in 2019 and conducts Phase I-IV inpatient and outpatient studies. This location features a 24-bed inpatient unit, a 24-bed Phase I unit, and an indoor smoking lounge.
DALLAS
CHICAGO
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Business Hours
Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sign up to receive updates, promotions, and sneak peaks of Swab Test.
