Students help create ‘Scenes of Bridlington’ artwork for local Hospital

Bridlington students have been learning new skills as part of a project to create a series of artwork for Bridlington Hospital made entirely from dyed and felted merino wool.

The artwork was unveiled today, when pupils, teachers and staff were invited to visit Bridlington Hospital to see the art in situ in the hospital’s restaurant.  

HAFNEY (Hospital Arts for North East Yorkshire) commissioned Yorkshire textile artist, Kat Wood, to work with members of staff at Bridlington Hospital and local school pupils to create four pieces of artwork to be displayed in the hospital’s restaurant.

Entitled ‘Scenes of Bridlington’ Kat took photographs of the landscapes and seascapes at varying times of day to capture the changes in light and colour and members of staff were also invited to supply their own images, of which four were chosen to be recreated.

Kat then worked with A-Level art students at Bridlington School on the live brief. She held a workshop where she shared her development work, taught the students basic feltmaking skills as well as discussing the importance of art in hospital settings.

Kat explained: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working on this project and I am delighted with the finished pieces. It has been a real team project from the input of staff to the workshop with the students. I hope that it will provide a talking point for people visiting the hospital restaurant.”

The felted pictures were created using a variety of methods and techniques. Each piece was created using hundreds of thousands of strands of dyed sheep wool that were worked and laid in a specific way before being wet felted. This first felting bonded the fibres together to create a firm piece of fabric with the background shapes and colours worked into it.

The detail was then worked into the fabric by cutting down into previous layers, pulling fibres from bottom layers to the top and needle felting additional fibres to the surface. The finished piece is a swath of sturdy fabric, rich in texture and detail.

Rebekah Walkington, Hospital Secretary, said: “The artwork has transformed a large blank space in the hospital restaurant, into a vibrant and textured scene of Bridlington.

“It provides a new focal point in the restaurant, helping create a welcoming and engaging atmosphere for both staff and visitors.”

For more information about Arts in Hospital click here.

To find out more about artist Kat Wood visit here website here.

21 May 2016