Hospitals and other stuff

First (and hopefully but not necessarily the only) scan out of the way today. Fasting, drinking nasty stuff to light up my insides and having needles stuck in me is not my idea of fun, but looking at some of the other people waiting, lining the corridors on gurneys, I felt positively turbo charged and glowing with health. I'm so lucky, having support and good wishes (thank you!) when many other people in similar positions appear to have no one. One ancient lady was dumped by her escort who actually gave the wrong name to reception. Fortunately she was 'with it' enough to say "that's not me!". She wore a base ball cap on her bowed head, clutched a packed lunch box and sat the whole time with no one even speaking to her until it was time for her to go to x-ray, an hour or so. How sad.

St Richard's Hospital in Chichester has some lovely original artwork, it's a pleasure to walk the corridors, and art took over as the theme for the day. We had time after the hospital to visit the Barbara Hepworth and Kitaj exhibitions at Pallant House Gallery , Chichester in glorious afternoon sunshine. Barbara Hepworth's amazing collection of hospital drawings were quite stunning, their figures imbued with compassion quite difficult to describe. It helped that they were in misty pastel and pencil, rounded figures with bent heads conveying the attention they gave to their patient. Quite remarkable, though maybe not what I'd wish to live with. Rather disappointed with Kitaj, maybe it was seeing the work after the gentler and more subtle Hepworth.
You can see an example of Barbara Hepworth's Hospital work Here.

But the thing which catches my eye is the panel of community art work as you enter the gallery. Perhaps it's becoming a mini theme with me, after the History Post in Cocking and the Watts Chapel in Compton. This panel was made by locals and visitors to reflect a sense of place, both the Gallery and Chichester itself. 350 tiles were created in a series of workshops at the Gallery and elsewhere in 2003. The makers ranged in age from 1 to 90 years old. Coppery tones and use of ceramic tiles give a lovely texture and 'a coherent visual impact' (ahem!). The motifs were inspired by work on display in the Gallery and by personal preference. The original front door key to the building can be seen impressed into the clay. What I love about community artwork is that each piece of work is equally valid, whether by a child or a professional artist, and the whole somehow transcends the individual pieces.

It's my 500th Blipday today, and I'm jolly glad to have made it so far! Not consecutive for reasons beyond my control, it's actually two and a half years since I joined, but just as valid as an endeavour in creativity, in my book. Thank you everyone who supports me and gives me enormous pleasure with their own blips. All mean more to me than I can say.