25 images from Series 1 of my hospital doodles have been sent to England where they will be exhibited at Newcastle College. The show is called ‘A Thing With Feathers’ – a quote from Emily Dickinson’s poem about Hope. A proportion of the sales will be donated to a Ukrainian refugee charity. In the meantime here’s my first doodle for Series 2 – I’m still in hospital! This drawing was influenced by the anatomical figures used by doctors for diagnostic purposes.
Oil pastel, watercolour pencil and marker pen on paper.
I’ve had great news – an offer of an exhibition of my hospital doodles in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It feels surreal to have my artwork displayed while I am still incarcerated in hospital. There is Covid on my ward now and we are in lockdown so my discharge date is ever receding. I am reminded of a story about Frida Kahlo who attended her own exhibition in her hospital bed. She was brought to the gallery by an ambulance and held court from her bed. I doubt the British health service would be quite so helpful! In the meantime here’s another one of my doodles, The Net.
Hospital doodle #20
Hospital doodle #18 – a mix of graphite, coloured pencil, oil pastels and marker pen on paper.
Doodle #17. My hospital window overlooks a flat rooftop where seagulls, wagtails, pigeons and crows congregate. There is a constant chitter chatter of birds and bird imagery is appearing in my drawings.
Sadly there are no birds as colourful as this one in Scotland- only in my head!
Hospital Doodle #16. Marker pen and coloured pencil on paper.
Hospital doodle #15
Hospital doodle #14
Hospital doodle #13
The Purple Hermit 