Monique Martin, Mark Carr, Lieske Weenink and SEAN WORRALL - Art of Caring 2020

Welcome to the Art of Caring 2020. Today we introduce the work of 4 artists who have contributed work to this year's exhibition.... Monique Martin, Mark Carr, Lieske Weenink and SEAN WORRALL. The Art of Caring is an annual inclusive international art exhibition celebrating Nurses, Midwives, Carers, and the NHS. Thank you to the School of Nursing at Kingston University for their support.

Monique Martin
Since the first humans used their spine of 33 bones to stand up and look to the horizon they have been fossilizing the future for others. Through evolution, skill development, and luck, societies have come and gone from this planet. Countless decisions were made in the moment in order to secure a future for themselves and following generations. Each decision made in the past affected the now. Each good idea or error in judgement made can be experienced over time, possibly even affecting generation to generation. When making decisions in the “now” care must be taken because that decision could fossilize the future and impact others who we may or may not meet.  This idea of changing the future for others must be an incredible amount of pressure for any nurse. I am grateful for all they do and have done for me in the past. About a year ago I had emergency hand surgery and the nurses I had were so good to me and so supportive, it made the terrible time much less terrible.  Their support allowed me to draw, with my good hand, on large pieces paper on the walls of my room when in the hospital, which led to a series of work called "Critical Pieces" 
Nurses are critical pieces in the healthcare system.
Here are some images of what I drew.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M626HCU6duo 
 https://www.instagram.com/p/BxIk1TDnTx8/ 

Monique is a multi-disciplinary based artist in Saskatoon, Canada.
Monique has exhibited her artwork in more than 200 significant solo, invited and juried group exhibitions in ten countries. Her works are held in more than forty-four public and private collections in ten different countries. Her work often uses significant symbols or comments on contemporary social issues. Using specific concepts, Monique creates bodies of work rather individual pieces and once she has exhausted a concept she moves on to a new concept. Her works push the boundaries of standard printmaking: enormous scale printmaking, installation based printmaking and working with three dimensions in printmaking.
Monique finds that her work develops well when she is away from her regular routine in her own studio, so she often seeks out artist in residence positions in other locations, or is invited to be Artist in Residence. She was Artist in Residence for Disneyland Paris, Paris, France (2013), Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival (2013), Saskatchewan Children's Festival (2012), Bytown Museum, Ottawa, Canada (2010), Spalding, United Kingdom (2008), Nice, France (2006), Vallauris, France (2006), Mount Vernon, USA (2004), Wynyard, Tasmania, Australia (2003) and Coaticook, QC, Canada (2001).
www.moniqueart.com    
twitter/insta:  @moniquesart
monique@moniqueart.com

Mark Carr
"My mother trained as a nurse in WW2 caring for injured and sick airmen. When the NHS was created by the post war labour Government, she was one of the first drafts of nurses to join the NHS. She continued to work for the NHS until 1970.
My eldest sister trained as a nurse in the navy during the 1960’s. After her military service she worked in the NHS until she retired.
My middle sister trained as a nurse at the Royal Northern Hospital, London in the 1970’s. She worked for the NHS until she immigrated to Australia in the mid 80’s, where she continued her medical career
So even though I am not a medical person myself, I have the NHS in my blood, and, unlike so many people in the country, I have been clapping the NHS all my life and will continue to do so in the privacy of my own home. Let’s hope after this emergency is over the NHS will receive the proper funding it so desperately needs, making ‘cap in hand’ charitable donations a thing of the past, not the future."
Mark Carr 2020

I have been making and exhibiting art in the UK since my teenage years, gaining a BA (hons) Fine Art in 1984 and an MA Fine Art in 1994. For brief periods in 1988 and 1990 I worked and exhibited in Australia. My work is in public and private collections in the UK, America and Australia. Originally a print -maker and painter, I now concentrate on multimedia work incorporating many elements, including: video, music, sound, print, painting and lighting effects. My work is essentially political and figurative. In 2018 I completed a new series of paintings and prints entitled - CUP OF LIFE , which commented on the 'Human Condition' in the 21st century. This work was exhibited in Oxford, Nuneaton, and Newcastle 2018/19. In 2019 I spent 8 months in dialogue with DJ and musicologist Trevor Johnson, creating new 1 hour video/performance work entitled - The SCREAM. This is an autopsy mental ill health, specifically my own. I am currently endeavouring to find a suitable space and access the funds to present this work. Lastly, I am developing a new series of work about the 'Friends' who access the Peoples Kitchen in Newcastle for free food and other essential services. I volunteered here, as part of a cooking team, for two years. This work will include a video, 30 paintings and between 10 and 15 large scale woodcut prints. I live and work in County Durham teaching part-time to support my practice.

https://www.markcarrart.com/

Lieske Weenink

SEAN WORRALL

Art of Caring opens ay St Pancras Hospital

Ella Penn

Last night (20/07/2017) we officially opened the Art of Caring at St Pancras Hospital with a fantastic summer's evening of wine and song. The exhibition started as a postcard show at St George's Hospital way back in May but here it took on a new life. St Pancras curators Peter Herbert and Elaine Harper-Gay brought together many of the postcards again but also a healthy slice of original work by the artists involved.

There were many eye-catching contributions, including David Marron's Fentanyl Dreams, and Mark Carr's two paintings from his Cup of Life series. Two sculptural pieces which captured the attention of the Private View revellers were Louise O'Boyle's glass domed world and the Melanie Ezra and Graham Parker hand that reached out from beyond the a mirror. Once again Herbert and Harper-Gay had engineered an artistic exhibition that broke boundaries, creating a new exciting physical space but also an emotional world that talked of compassion and shared experience.

artwork by

Melanie Ezra and

Graham Parker

Many of the artists exhibiting were also in attendance. This was Caroline Streatfield Chalk's first exhibition with CollectCollect, while Ella Penn is a die-hard of the CollectConnect inclusive genre and has been exhibiting with us for more than 5 years. Penn had brought along Freya, the subject of her Alopecia Tableau, to join in the opening night celebrations. Aran Illingworth had sold two of her beautiful textile pieces by the end of the night, as had the famous Stuckist and Outsider artist John Sheehy. Chris Brown and Dean Reddick chatted amiably to the gallery visitors, and David Napier was on hand to demonstrate his ceramic chessboard/backgammon set.

The Sensory Garden was full of visitors and just by its entrance was Jill Rock and her challenging work Duty of Care. Many more of the artists were in attendance, thank you to everyone who was there to make this night such a success. We had speeches from Caroline Harris-Birtles (C&I Director of Nursing) Andrew Machin, (Associate Director and Charity Development Project Manager from The Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust NHS Charitable Fund) and Paul Newcombe (Pre -Registration Nursing Course Leader at St George’s Hospital and Kingston University).

Sarah Vista

We were treated to a live set of original country and western ballads from The Sarah Vista Social Club (with Jeff Mead). It was an evening both of celebration and though provoking pathos, many of the artists were explicit in their support for Nurses and NHS, with artworks that highlighted the political and financial threats that currently harry the profession.

Once again thank you all for supporting the Art of Caring. The exhibition runs until the 19th October at CONFERENCE CENTRE GALLERY, ST PANCRAS HOSPITAL, 4 ST PANCRAS WAY
LONDON, NW1 OPE. Please go an visit.

You can see a selection of photos by following this LINK.

See you next year.