The following link takes you through to the feature.

http://www.buildingbetterhealthcare.co.uk/news/article_page/15ft_banner_unveiled_at_Yarm_Medical_Centre/76843

Thanks for the photos, it looks fantastic! Can’t wait to see it installed.

We both spent an enjoyable day in Yarm; it’s lovely to get out and about. On our research days, Tony and myself work together to achieve the best results in the shortest possible timescale. Tony photographs 3D objects like shields, trophies, medals, etc., and also helps to take apart framed images so that I can scan them at a high resolution. All images are replaced carefully back into their frames, we take along plenty of tape, a small hammer and a tin of tacks specially for the job!

Dr Neil Reynolds of Yarm Medical Centre expressed his delight in the beauty of his home-town, wishing to display the history of the town as an artwork in the new medical centre. Tony set off for his first meeting armed with notepad and camera and returned later armed with plenty of photos and an initial brief. Unfortunately a photograph would not be able to do justice to the town’s beauty due to all the additions of any modern street scene: bus shelters, parked vehicles, gaudy shop posters. With utter joy I realised I could put my illustrative skills to perfect use! Our concept was to create a modern version of the old 1930s travel posters, using bright colours and dramatic shadows, as shown in detail below.

I had already illustrated half the townscape when Tony returned to Yarm a few weeks later, with me in tow. I needed a few more photos of the town to check what one or two of the buildings really looked like behind that parked van. With Dr Reynolds guidance of what he wished to include, we spent the rest of the day inside Yarm Town Hall researching and scanning historic information, ready to put together a brief history of the town that would accompany the illustration.

Due to a sudden rush of work, only just noticed our project unveiled in November was featured in the newly designed Building Better Healthcare website. Much of our work is published on this website. Thanks go to Jo Makosinski, Editor at BBH, for publicising our work without us even realising!

The following link takes you through to the feature.

http://www.buildingbetterhealthcare.co.uk/news/article_page/Hospital_arts_Kings_Mill_Hospital_unveils_childrens_centre_murals/71054

Tony had been present to oversee the installation of the murals, but this evening’s celebrations were the first time I had viewed them personally. We arrived slightly before everyone else to photograph our latest project, and I was extremely impressed with the high quality of print and fitting. It’s wonderful when you have spent so much time and injected so much enthusiasm into a project that the end result appears just how you expected.

And, I wasn’t the only one to be impressed! We were congratulated many times by the Trust members on our creativity to create a bright colourful mural that not only appeals to children, young people and their parents, but also acknowledges the generosity of the local community and the massive achievements of the Charitable Appeals Trust.

I commented on how everyone was dressed up in beautiful colours suitable for a summers day apart from myself, (I was dressed up, but in black and white). Joan Elders of the League of Friends gave a speech and I was thrilled to be presented with a large colourful bunch of flowers which totally cheered up my outfit! Tony was also presented with a bottle of wine.

Children from Windmill Primary School in Headington joined in the ceremony on 7 June to unveil our latest heritage project to patients, visitors and staff at the NOC. Everyone rushed forward to get a closer view as the mural, fitted to the large circular column at the centre of the atrium, was gradually unveiled.

I am extremely pleased with how the design has worked out. I’ve used a strict grid of colour coded ‘bars’ to literally suggest the building blocks of life, in other words, the important stem cell research that is carried out at the hospital. These ‘blocks’ also reflect the windowpanes on the dramatic glass fronted atrium of the main reception area, where the mural will be situated.

Six feature panels focus on different subject categories highlighting the differences between past and present care. These are separated by brushed aluminium columns that feature anatomical dot-screen printed images. Installation is now complete but covered up ready for the unveiling event on 7 June. As usual I can’t wait to see the mural all complete, and the first reactions of everyone at the hospital.

Our concept is to use hot air balloons as a ‘vehicle’ to carry photographs representing some of the most noteworthy fundraising achievements. Trailing from each photo will be a banner giving a brief description of the event. The main mural title will feature on the basket of the large centre balloon, the basket full of excited, smiling children.

I totally adore working on projects like this, and am now onto the next stage of illustrating the country landscape. As requested by the client I have included ‘The Major Oak’ of Sherwood Forest (the large tree on the left). This is reported to be the most famous living tree in the world that according to local legend once used to shelter Robin Hood and his band of merry men. I have also been asked to include some small animals and birds into the landscape.