‘Valuable Meditative Experiences’ – Resident Artist Emily Stapleton-Jefferis reflects on her first term at St George’s
30 March 2023
What sort of activities have you been running on the wards/ outpatient areas at St George’s?
I have been running a range of activities from watercolour painting to printmaking, to paper marbling. I have been looking to the hospital gardens as inspiration and thinking about care and resilience in relation to gardening and the changing of the seasons. I enjoy patient-led activities, so depending on their interests we might use one process over another or choose a different theme - such as prehistoric dinosaurs.
What does a typical day look like for you in your role as a Resident Artist?
Generally I arrive and head straight to the art cupboard which is a cornucopia of exciting materials. I load up my wheely basket and then head out into the hospital. Sometimes I head straight to the wards and work with patients on the bedside, or I head to the Dragon Centre (outpatients) where I set up a table of arts resources for the children, who can then come to me.
After lunch I have been working in the hospital school which is such a colourful and inspiring site. We have been working with the theme ‘Life in colour’; painting plant smells, drawing plants from the perspective of bees and making plant inks. I then usually have time to work with 1 or 2 more patients before it’s time to go home.
“It is always wonderful to have Emily in the classroom and the pupils (and staff) always learn so much from her.” - Rhonwen Parsons, Specialist Hospital Teacher
Have you noticed your activities have had an impact on the patients you have worked with?
Patients or their relatives will tell me how happy they are to be kept busy with a creative activity. Often in the Dragon Centre parents are relieved that they can spend that time having at least some moments of joy with their children.
For me it’s very satisfying when working at the bedside and our conversation ebbs away to be replaced by intense concentration on the painting, colouring or drawing at hand. I think that flow state, in which everything else falls away except for artistic creation, is such a valuable meditative experience.
Have you got any favourite moments from your time at St George’s so far?
It’s difficult to choose, as every week I am humbled by the strength and the care that I witness. We recently made a tree for International Women’s day in the school and this was great fun as it got us using our hands and fingers to print the roots, trunk and branches.
I’ve also had loads of wonderful conversations; learning about the seagulls which live on the 5th Floor, hearing about patient’s vivid and colourful dreams, and discovering the stories of patient’s lives.
What are your hopes for the next few months, are there any activities, themes or projects which you see emerging?
I am excited to continue thinking about the hospital garden and the changing of the seasons. I am looking forward to developing artwork in collaboration with the patients that I’m working with, as well as continuing to use a wide range of materials and processes - in a few weeks time we are going to make paper in the school and include petals and leaves from the hospital garden.
The Resident Artist initiative is produced by Arts St George’s, part of St George’s Hospital Charity. For more information, or to request for an artist to visit your ward or department, please see here.
