Verity Pulford’s residency at the Walton Centre took place in the Outpatient Clinic and the Complex Rehabilitation Unit (CRU) in the Sid Watkins Building, working with patients living with neurological conditions and trauma. Sessions took place twice a week for 8 weeks, and included workshops with the established CRU Art Group, which had been co-ordinated informally by staff at the Centre to aid the recovery of their patients.
Activities for the workshops included working with brusho powder colours, creating dimensional drawings, monoprinting with carbon paper, resist and watercolour painting, ink drawings, and painting on glass tiles. The variety of activities meant that for long-term patients, or outpatients that came back more than once, there was always a new skill or technique to learn which maintained their interest and engagement level. Despite repeated claims about not being creative or artistic, many participants produced work that they were pleased with and often surprised themselves with what they achieved.
All source material, which participants could use as a starting point, was taken from nature and microbiology and the general theme for the activities was mark-making. Sessions were participant-led in terms of the outcome and pace. For instance, activities could be adapted to suit a participant’s dexterity and speed of working, and could be completed over several sessions.
The aim of the workshops was not to complete artworks (although this did happen) but to engage, stimulate, give a sense of achievement and inclusion to participants. Their work informed Verity’s legacy artwork commission for the Walton Centre.
“These sessions have really helped me and other patients have said the same. I like the loose structure of the class. Understood now as part of hospital stay that people need this sort of activity. Good therapy for your hands and co-ordination.”
– CRU participant
“We would never have had the opportunity to do this if we hadn’t been coming here.”
– Outpatient participant
“A big reset button has been pressed on my life. Thank you for helping me through this.”
– Participant
“Its great to have this art group. Art is so important in a patient’s rehabilitation.”
– Staff member, the Walton Centre
Verity developed a glass installation for the Walton Centre based on her experiences with participants during the 8-week residency. The series of fused, etched and sandblasted glass discs were installed in February 2018.
Legacy artwork by Verity Pulford, made from fused, etched and sandblasted glass (2018).
“I have been inspired by my time at the Walton Centre: by the bravery, honesty and care I have witnessed from the patients and staff I have had to privilege to spend time with, and also through my research into microscopic brain structures and the work of Ramon Cajal which has influenced the glass I have made for the hospital.”
– Verity Pulford