First of all, we want to acknowledge the amazing work that NHS staff have been doing over the last 5 months in what are incredibly challenging times. THANK YOU.
Although Anne and Trevor have not been able to work on the wards during lockdown, they have been busy. Anne has kept in touch with various workshop participants setting different art tasks for them to try out, from still life to painting flowers to views from their windows. As time passed, participants began setting each other tasks. Other activities have included the Edinburgh Landmarks exhibition at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital which features artwork by workshop participants and staff members.
In addition, The Glasshouses Garden Group; has been sharing tips and images from their own gardening projects during lockdown. The REH Creative Hub is hoping to return to some kind of normality soon. Joan and Maggie have been busy with their own projects from home, Crafting with Joan and Maggie’s Marvellous Moments offering a glimpse into their own creative processes whilst we can’t be together.
Just getting off the ground is Lost for Words, a creative writing project that pairs author Laura Marney with budding writers across the hospitals to create stories together. We are currently talking to the Scottish Book Trust on how to reach more people and involve exciting writers.
Finally, Art Games is a drawing exchange between St John’s and Liberton Hospital. Based upon a surrealist art game that allows a drawing to develop as it goes back and forth between participants, in due course we’ll be working in partnership with the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop to create a larger scale sculptural project.
We will try and post as regularly as we can so there is something new to look at.
Please feel free to give us any feedback, or ask about participating in future projects. Artlink Hospital Arts Team contacts: anne@artlinkedinburgh.co.uk (normal working week is Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) trevor@artlinkedinburgh.co.uk (normal working week varies depending on projects, currently mostly Wednesday and Thursday).