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Local sixth form students create artwork for new healthcare training academy

A Level Art students, from Cramlington Learning Village (CLV), have created artwork for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s new Health and Care Academy.

Bright Charity, Northumbria Healthcare’s official charity, worked with students from the sixth form to produce artwork based on the theme of nature.

Home to a new training facility for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, and a GP surgery, the Health and Care Academy has a criteria for wellbeing which is being supported by the artwork on display.

The students explored how nature and wellbeing are linked and were inspired by the healing properties of plants and flowers and combined this with wildlife and landscapes of the North East. During this process, they also had the opportunity to work with a professional artist to help them bring their ideas to life.

The Health and Care Academy’s Art Steering Group gave feedback on the original designs to develop the artwork that is now on display.

Charlotte Railton, CLV student, said: “Nobody could have prepared me for how big the paintings are! I am very pleased to have been given this amazing opportunity and hope everyone who visits the Academy enjoys them."

Originally, the plan was for one large piece on the exterior of the building outside of the entrance, but all of the designs received such positive feedback that the remaining four designs were installed as part of the interior.

Nicole Atkinson is the student whose work is displayed above the entrance. She said: "I really appreciated the opportunity to create such a meaningful piece of art, and the first time I saw it I couldn't believe it was really there. I hope it brings some smiles to the people who walk in there."

Louise Clazey, Head of Art at Cramlington Learning Village added: "We are incredibly proud of our Year 12 art students who really rose to the challenge right from the start of this project. They produced some brilliant initial designs, then fine-tuned these to create some impactful final pieces with bold, expressive colours, which are just perfect for the spaces where they have been installed.

“Watching our students view their own work for the first time in a public space, and on such a large scale, was so rewarding, as I could sense how very proud they were of their achievements."

Media contact

Louise Alexander, social media and digital assistant

Louise.Alexander@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk