Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital

ARTworksCommissions 2006-09

Published by Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital Copyright © 2009

No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher

Text and essays courtesy of the authorsArtworks © the ArtistsPhotographs © Mike DavidsonAdditional photographs © .............

ISBN XXXXXXXXXXXXX Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital Westburn Road Aberdeen AB25 2ZG www.rach-art.org.uk

Printed in an edition of 2000 by Montgomery Litho Group

Preface, Gail Thomson 5

Foreword, Anne Moore 7

Introduction, Professor George Youngson 9

X-Ray Treatment Rooms 10

Glass Project: Physiotherapy and Front Door 16

Lift Lobby 20 Graphic Novel 26

Child and Family Mental Health: Rosehill House 30

Outpatients and Accident and Emergency 36

High Dependency Unit 40

Medical and Surgical Ward Entrance 44

Treatment Rooms: Surgical and Medical and Day Case 50 Parent Interview Rooms 56

Art and Play, Heather Beattie 59

Reflecting on the programme, Sally Thomson 61

Acknowledgements 63

Contents

Art has been an integral part of the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital since the new building opened in January 2004. NHS Grampian had the foresight to include art in the planning of the new build, which led to the creation of the RACH Arts Group and the publication of the RACH Art Strategy.

RACH now has an award-winning art collection, and it was always the strategic intention to build on this with further development of the project post-occupation. The first phase concentrated on the public areas of the hospital, but for the past two years we have been working with staff and young people to create pieces for other areas such as treatment rooms, ward lobbies, parent lounges etc.

The main focus of our project has been about working collaboratively with patients, families and staff who use the building. External youth groups have added a different dimension to our thinking which has helped to ensure that our final outcomes are what young people want to see in a children’s hospital. Working in such a collaborative way has been intensive, but also extremely rewarding, and I feel very confident that this approach has yielded excellent results.

I am very proud of what has been achieved and believe that RACH remains at the forefront of contemporary art in children’s hospitals in the UK.

On behalf of the RACH Art Group, I would like to extend our grateful thanks to all of the children, staff, families and external groups who have worked hard with the artists to help create the fantastic pieces now in place.

In particular, I would like to thank and acknowledge the expertise and guidance of Sally Thomson. As our Art Co-ordinator, Sally has used her extensive art project management experience to lead this complicated project. Sally has had the enthusiasm and drive to work with all of our artists and stakeholders to achieve a highly professional result.

I am delighted to present this book as a celebration of what has been achieved. I do hope you enjoy it.

Gail Thomson,

Chair, RACH Art Group (2005- 09)

Preface

A boy and his mother open the door to an X-ray room where jungle creepers and tropical leaves wind their way around the room, and pink lizards scurry across the ceiling. ‘Cool’ he says as he stands and stares, forgetting the purpose of his visit in his excitement to see more.

The plants and animals that fill the room are an artist’s colourful vision of a distant place – far removed from the clinical environment normally found in the X-ray suite of a hospital. But the illusion is complete and the jungle becomes the reality for the duration of the treatment as the boy lies and watches a parade of exotic animals and reptiles slowly dancing across the ceiling.

Imagination is a wonderful thing and the artists who have worked on this project have been given the opportunity of listening to children and tapping into their worlds of imagination. Through them a myriad of ideas and designs have been developed and brought to life, filling the clinical areas and treatments rooms of the children’s hospital with colour and fun.

One of the original aims of the RACH Arts Project Group was to “commission work which would engage children and young people of all ages, as well as their families, friends and staff ’. From the beginning of the

project children were asked what they would like to see in a children’s hospital, and what would make their hospital more child friendly and less intimidating.

We believe that these new artworks have transformed the clinical spaces and treatment rooms within the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, creating spaces that are filled with wonder and surprise and helping to make a journey to the hospital a more enjoyable experience.

Grampian Hospitals Art Trust has been delighted to be part of this exciting project which has transformed the children’s hospital and which will be enjoyed for years to come by children, their families and the hospital staff.

Anne Moore,

Curator, Grampian Hospitals Art Trust (GHAT)

Foreword

There is still a view - perhaps understandably - that illness is a negative life experience; one that disrupts normal lifestyle, daily routine, education and work - and one that can be associated with anxiety, fear and distress as well as the physical symptoms of the illness concerned. Whilst all of these are, if anything, more applicable to children, with the addition of separation concerns from home, family and friends, this Children’s Hospital, like many others, tries hard to offset these negative elements of illness with a positive approach in a positive environment.

As with many prized possessions, it is easy to become familiar and perhaps not to see the pictures and photographs that have hung on the walls of your home for some while. However, there is never a day passes in the Children’s Hospital, without the artwork being noticed by some - if not all of us who work here and it is of course appreciated most by those who are patients with us.

The artwork seems to embrace all of those concerns highlighted above and soothe them. It seems to add some fun into the worry, some colour into the dull, and some information into the unknown.

There is something for everyone - from the enquiring mind, to those who simply need to look and see or touch. There is a sound or a light - a colour or shape - which will attract your attention away from the worry and concern of the illness and hopefully allow the healing to occur in the absence of that concern.

The Arts Project at the Children’s Hospital was given a high priority when I was first involved in the planning a new hospital in 1989. I am proud of the decision that was taken by my colleagues and myself - it has provided an investment in the care of children in the North-East of Scotland that will be enduring.

Professor George G. Youngson,

Consultant Paediatric Surgeon

Trustee, The ARCHIE Foundation

Introduction

“ The staff working in these rooms have

described a sensation of immersion into calming

surroundings which disguise the previously stark,

clinical appearances. ” Kay C and staff, X-Ray Department

X-ray has six treatment rooms, all full of amazing machinery. Whilst some young people are fascinated by this equipment, to others it is very intimidating. Susan Grant was tasked to create a distracting and interesting artistic solution for this environment.

With so much equipment, and in some cases a very short time in the room, this was no easy task but all ages love to gaze at the projections and find all the images on the walls. XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXX

Susan T. Grant, Artist XXXXXXXXX

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X-Ray Treatment Rooms

“All members of staff working in radiology, and many who just ‘pass through’ have been delighted by Susan Grant’s imaginative and interactive response to a commission for artwork throughout the department.

As a diagnostic imaging department undertaking a wide range of examinations on patients ranging from neonates to 14 year olds, the ‘quest’ to distract and delight, now and in the future was a demanding one.

Susan’s inclusive approach involving all the staff members and some enthusiastic patients, has produced examination rooms which push all the buttons as regards timeless patient distraction right across the age spectrum. “

Kay C and staff, X-Ray Department

“ Children of all ages and staff got involved by

choosing different objects and textures then

placing them on paper. Susan photographed

these and then she processed them in her

darkroom - a bathroom in S6! ” Maureen MacDonald, Play Specialist

I worked with the Westhill Young People Group; a lively community youth group of 12 -14 year olds who visited the hospital to see the exising artworks. We talked about the art they liked and didn’t like, and how we might stimulate positive thinking through the new artwork that made reference to physical activity of some kind.

The group used sketch books to generate ideas and went on a photographic trip to record what they considered to be the essence of their community. The results were amazing and underpinned the design of each artwork.

Importantly the users of the space also had input into the design process. I devised a simple worksheet for the young patients, their parents, and the clinical staff, to complete when they had an opportunity. This provided me with the vibrant colour scheme for the work, and some of the themes coincided with those of the youth group - particularly the notion of playing outside with friends.

The experience was hugely enriching, and led to these colourful, upbeat designs.

Dan Savage, Artist

Glass Project:Physiotherapy and Front Door

Dan spent a day at RACH working closely with staff and children of all ages in the in-patient wards and down in the concourse talking to out-patients attending clinics.

He had an activity sheet made out where the children were encouraged to draw and write in their favourite toys, colours and so on. Some of the younger children required help to fill it in.

Maureen MacDonald, Play Specialist XXXX Prob-

ably loose this and just use Westhill text XXXX

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Westhill Youth Group NAME????? (WAG?)

“ What struck me when walking through

the hospital was the terrific energy of these

artworks. ” Professor Anne Douglas, Gray’s School of Art, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

“ I liked the thing where you got to draw the

head and passed it on for the next person to

draw the body. ” Pupil, Glaitness School, Orkney

“In this work ‘anecdotal evidence’ we invited children and staff to make doodles for us of their favourite things. We started with the idea of jigsaw pieces and thinking about how images fit together.

After a period of making preliminary sketches and collages we took this work to our studio and transferred some of the ideas onto painted canvases.

We then had to think about how to make this artwork suitable for a hospital - so it will be easy for other people to clean it without damaging it and won’t be a fire risk to anyone. Each painting was photographed and the photographs were then printed onto a plastic like material called Polycarbonate.

Tumin and Prendergast, Artists

Lift Lobby

“The children were very excited about working with artists and Chris and Matilda’s enthusiasm and imaginative approach was met with equal enthusiasm and imagination. Both artists and the class are fun to work with and ideas bounced back and forth between them. It has been a positive experience.”

Shona Firth, Primary Teacher, Glaitness School,

Orkney

“Amongst the panels are paintings of decorated soft toys found in charity shops (called ‘Travellers’). We were paying tribute to their unknown histories and reinventing them as beautiful objects.

We assembled the panels in a way that made some sense to us - or maybe even some nonsense? We love the poetry of Edward Lear, Spike Milligan and Dr Seuss and we hope this piece of work has things in common with these writers - a bit silly but serious too?”

Tumin and Prendergast

“The artwork provides a means to explore lateral connections and the inherent conflict that lies between expression and convention”

Carole Dunbar, Education Officer, Pier Arts

Centre, Stromness

“ I liked drawing with my eyes closed. ” Pupil, Glaitness School, Orkney

“ Lynne showed me how to make a monoprint

using oil pastels and a photograph, when I

finished my picture it looked like it was drawn

by a proper artist. ” Patient, Medical Ward

“Working on the graphic novel with the children, parents and staff at the RACH was an excellent experience as it bridged the gray area between playful, comic book fun and the important factual information about the Children’s Hospital.

I introduced the children to underground graffiti and street art illustrations and from this they created distinctive free-hand drawings with decorative lines, beautiful flowing patterns and humorous cartoonsusing their own unique style. Some of the older children worked with the digital camera photographing equipment, beds, machines and also taking close up images to create textures, which were developed on the computer using Photoshop. We brainstormed story ideas and dialogue and spent a lot of time discussing their experiences in the hospital.

Working with different children and adults over a two month period allowed me to use their personalities to develop the appearance of the final characters, creating a slightly surreal imagery that delivers a fun yet contemporary feel with a twist of retro.”

Lynne Strachan, Artist

Graphic Novel

“Each session the artist came to the ward I helped her by identifying children who might be willing to take part in the art project. Some of the children come from a long way off, from Orkney and Shetland for example. We also have some children from different cultures, speaking different languages.”

Maureen MacDonald, Play Specialist

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Moira, Auxiliary Nurse XXXXXXXXXXXX

“ Make it child focused without being

patronising. There aren’t many public spaces for

children - make it inviting and playful. ” Parent and workshop participant

“Initially I asked two questions: ‘how does the space feel?’ and how would you like it to feel?’ People answered by creating words from assembling objects around the space, which we then photographed. We then moved onto thinking about colours and hues that represented the word, scouring the building for objects that were in the same shades. By photographing these objects on similar backgrounds, we created colour spectrums.

Using this sea of images, the next stage was to make journeys around the building, playfully winding imagery around fittings and fixtures on the walls.

These resources, created during the workshops, flowed seamlessly into my final designs, where colour journeys trail through the corridors, injecting vibrant hues into the rooms that they pass.

The designs transform the building so that it interacts better with those who inhabit it, whilst also being visually directly influenced by them.”

Kiran Chahal, Artist

“It’s really good and he is really enjoying it. I’m no good at art but Kiran breaks it down so I understand.”

Parent with son

Child and Family Mental Health:Rosehill House

“Having been a parent with a child in intensive care for many weeks, personally it was the most amazing feeling to be able to give something back to the hospital through Studio 77’s involvement in the art projects at RACH.

The group have loved being valued as artists and having their opinions listened to and taken seriously. Working with professional artists has been fantastic. We would do it again, anytime, THANK YOU FOR ASKING US.”

Penny Downes,

Youth Worker suporting Studio 77

“A brilliant idea to use photos - so when you get closer it is the actual pictures. The designs cheer the place up no end.”

Medical Secretary, Rosehill

“ Two waiting rooms with different moods

continues the ideas looked at through the

workshops - kids can pick what mood they are

in and go into that rooms if it fits. ” Parent and workshop participant

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djwqkd qkwdjlkjdlqwjdlw d qlwdj.” Student, Gasgow School of Art

“Working throughout Outpatients and Accident and Emergency, we created a design process which allows patients and their families to both creatively engage with their immediate surroundings, and also start to imagine narratives outside them.

Reacting to the need to engage a wide age group in these busy departments, we developed a tiered solution using high contrast and recognizable shapes and forms. It is a contemporary styling with open-ended text.

Occupying multiple surfaces across walls, ceilings and doors in the treatment and consulting rooms of both departments we used cut vinyl images along with acrylic mobiles. These offer engagement and distraction and a starting point for a conversation.

Taking some themes visible in the existing decoration, and fi nding new ones in consultation with hospital users, we created a series of ‘narrative threads’. Illustrated by graphic elements and associated texts these threads have been applied to 37 ? individual rooms. The common elements running through these threads give them a coherent feel throughout the departments.”

<slight>, interior designers

Outpatients andAccident and Emergency

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Dorothy Cooper, Play Leader

“ Lynne made the art like a game - see how

many of these you can make in a minute and

no rubbing out. ” Studio 77

“Working with the patients, young people from Studio 77 and Penny Downes was a fantastic experience creating a new look for the waiting area of the High Dependency Unit.

We worked together to produces striking illustrations that fuse concept and atmosphere. We developed three large canvasses through mixed media style, digitally combining hand drawn, multi-textured and painted elements that had a strong graphic edge that were funny, beautiful and funky.

The aim was to communicate ideas through a semi- abstract visual language allowing the young people to use their imagination.

The patients on the wards used hand drawn elements and humorous illustration to create the quirky people shapes which form the main focus of the piece. These were created into 3D characters and framed in Perspex.”

Lynne Strachan, Artist

High Dependency Unit

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wepori wepori wpr eirjwepor wep roweir peoir pweori pweoriwepoei wpeor wpeori wpeori pweori wpeori pweori pweori wpeori pwer wepori wepori ewpori epwori epwori pweor pwoer pwoer HDU staff member XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“ We all designed our own character and

we got canvas with the dolls printed onto it

which we could stuff ourselves and so we

had something to remember about the project. ” Studio 77

“ One of the best things I have ever done, in

relation to education, was to accept the

invitation from RACH to be involved with this

project.” Moira Milne, Principal Teacher, Art and Design, Bridge of Don Academy

“The group at Bridge of Don Academy had already started working on designs for the Ward Entrance before I was commissioned. The three themes for the artwork of rainforest, ocean and space came from them, as did the desire for some kind of lighting solution to illuminate the dark windowless space. There were lots of other thoughtful ideas which we weren’t able to accommodate because of practical restrictions.”

Linda Schwab, Artist

Medical and Surgical Ward Entrance

‘Amazony’ a giant, curved light box is a response to the rain forest and ocean themes; a whale’s tail signals the entrance to the Medical department, a butterfly flutters towards the Surgical department.

Elements within the artwork, such as the angelfish and rose/newsprint leaf, are taken directly from collages produced during workshops with the group.”

“Amazony’s themes are carried though into artwork inside the Treatment Rooms giving each department a separate identity.”

Linda Schwab

‘Spacewalk’ is an oval aluminium panel featuring a welcoming NASA astronaut and the space shuttle! I wanted the artwork to be welcoming, hence the jolly spacewalker; visitors can read the oval as a window, looking out into an imaginary view of space.

Linda Schwab, Artist

“The project gave the children a much more realistic experience of what art can do to improve people’s environment. They also gained throughout the whole experience a greater understanding of the importance of research, development of ideas, which had to include health and safety considerations, and people’s opinions.

“In standard grade you can do this kind of thing - projects, so this is good training and a bit of a change. It is quite a slow process to get it all finished – you do the main ideas and then think about it what you’ve done. But all round it’s a good project for the hospital and I’ve enjoyed it”

Pupil

All of the pupils worked tirelessly with extreme enthusiasm to help produce ideas for Linda. The experiences they gained will stay with them for life and will help in other aspects of not only their art and design education but also in their everyday lives.”

Moira Milne, Principal Teacher, Art and Design

Bridge of don Academy

“ We don’t normally do things like this and

its just fun. ” Pupil, Bridge of Don Academy

“ I have been very excited by the recent

artworks on the floor. The positive effects of

contemporary and colourful art is felt by staff,

children and families” Caroline Pirie, Surgical Ward Sister Treatment Rooms

“Making space for art in busy treatment rooms was the real challenge of this commission. I decided to create ‘safe visual zones’ for patients - areas where you can focus on the art rather than medical equipment.

The dots and clouds painted onto the walls are designed to link up these ‘safe zones’ and connect the artwork panels using colour and shape. The hand painted elements were added after the panels were installed.

The panels, entitled ‘Tutti-Frutti’, feature themed photographic images - underwater/seaside, garden/park and holidays. The photographs were taken in Duthie Park, Aberdeen, the seafront, Scarborough, Roundhay Park and Tropical World, Leeds, and The Deep in Hull. They are at once familiar but also universal images. Hospitals are never places you look forward to visiting but I hope that these images will remind patients and their families of life outside and happy days miles away.”

Linda Schwab, Artist

Treatment Rooms:Surgical and Medical and Day Case

Linda started off with a tent and a map in the activity area. With the help of the Play staff the children drew favourite things and thought about the history of places.

She collated all the information and came up with themes for the rooms. Surgical is the beach/seaside underwater theme and Medical is the play park and sights you would see on the way to a park.

Maureen MacDonald, Play Speciailist

“I have been very excited by the recent art works on the floor. The positive effects of contemporary and colourful art is felt by staff, children and families. Particularly in our treatment rooms the illuminated art provides a focus for children undergoing procedures and always becomes a talking point and a point of distraction.

It has been great to see children being so involved in the consultation process and I think the fact that children and young adults have been given an opportunity to be so influential in the art has only added to the success of the work. The Arts Coordiator has kept the staff fully informed of progress at each stage allowing us all to feel that it’s ‘our’ project too.

In conclusion I think there has been lots of positive energy generated by having the artists work so closely with us and they have done a fantastic job in creating a visually stimulating and exciting environment for the children, families and staff.”

Caroline Pirie, Surgical Ward Sister

“ Now the whole environment is not so clinical

looking. It is warm and welcoming for the

children who have to have procedures and

treatements carried out in these rooms.” Maureen MacDonald, Play Speciailist

“My idea was to make both Waiting Rooms different, yet connected. I used imagery and colours that draw from nature - bringing the outside in. The soft blended colours help create an illusion of light, space and air, to counter the fact that there is no natural light in either room.

It is a cramped space that requires the possibility of a great deal of seating, but I didn’t want the feeling of empty chairs, I wanted the furnishings to accommodate - so stools can also used as side tables, coffee tables, as toy storage, etc.

Also, to counteract the lack of space, the colours flow into each other, with the wall imagery blending into the seating, which in turn blends into the carpets, creating a gentle, den like space.

Most of all I wanted the imagery to be unassuming, whilst gently soothing, for it to seem contemporary and inviting whilst still retaining a comfortingly ‘homely’ feel. “

Kiran Chahal, Artist

“The waiting rooms are very small and can feel claustrophobic. Parents who wait in these rooms might be anxious or distressed. It’s important to create a place to wait that feels calming and soothing. XXXXXXXXX.”

Staff Nurse XXXXX

Parent Interview Rooms

“I was invited to join the Arts Group when it was in its infancy. Over the years the faces on the group have changed but the enthusiasm for the introduction of art into our hospital has not.

As we come to the end of Phase 2 of the Art Project we see a hospital environment coming alive with art. Thecollaboration of staff, families, school children and artists has resulted in a relaxing and engaging environment. The mix of workshops, visual art and interior design gives us a variety of different art experiences.

Play Staff have worked closely with the artists, participating in consultation workshops with patients. Patients had the opportunity to become involved, we could empower them by listening to their thoughts. As with play, the children could express themselves through the art workshops. Their self esteem could be built by seeing the end product and a sense of pride when they saw their ideas in the final piece.

The art workshops created a wonderful atmosphere on the wards, not only were they stimulating but also diverting from the day to day ward routines. The success of the workshops has convinced me that we need to be offering regular art workshops on the wards.

Throughout my involvement in the Arts Project, I have personally learned so much. My understanding and appreciation of art has developed. My views on what families like or don’t like has changed, and most importantly, I now recognise the importance of art in the hospital environment.

Members of the Play Staff team have enjoyed being part of all the workshops and I notice since their involvement that they have also learnt so much; I see differences in how they organise art activities, how the display children’s art work, and most importantly. how they discuss the pieces of art with others.”

Heather Beattie, Play Service Co-ordinator

Art and Play

Reflecting on the programme

Acknowledgements

SEE WORD DOC FOR TEXT NB Acknowledgments could run onto next and last page and logos go here along with texts on Funders list

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