For our 2023 Drawn in Residence programme, we have commissioned seven BA Illustration artists from the University of the West of England and Kingston University to document hospital life through drawing. Five of our artists started their residencies in April; two will join the programme later this year.
This is the first time the programme has been made available to final-year students and recent graduates from two universities and at both of our hospitals. The residency gives them an opportunity to apply their practice to a real-world working environment, developing skills such as time management and budget planning alongside gaining the confidence to draw and document a unique healthcare environment.
The artists are embarking on projects across both our Chelsea and Westminster and West Middlesex hospital sites. Their work will include drawing with patients, exploring the CW Innovation programme and capturing the ward environment. The residencies provide a lasting impact for the students and graduates in their illustration practice and a stepping stone into their freelance career. The work produced throughout their residency will also be exhibited in our hospitals, providing lasting impact to patients, staff and visitors.
Recently the students were able to spend a day with Anouk Mercier, our first Drawn in Residence artist, who delivered one-to-one mentoring sessions and spent time drawing with them in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. This helped to inform the artists’ initial proposals and shape their approach to the residency.
Artist in residence Clara von Eye said: ‘I am looking forward to learning more about the amazing work being done in the hospitals, particularly that of CW Innovation, which will be the focus of my project. I hope to facilitate a wider interest in and understanding of the innovative projects that are making a difference not only to these hospitals but also across the NHS.’
Fellow artist Ella Dobson said: ‘Gaining new perspectives from people I otherwise would not have met will be a really valuable experience. I hope my work will reflect the essence of the people I speak to and resonates with them.’
Find out more about Drawn in Residence and the artists who have previously completed the programme.
2023/24 artists in residence:
Clara von Eye
In my current practice, I am interested in visually documenting small moments of everyday life and capturing people, locations and real-life scenarios through observational drawing. While my primary method of making illustrations is analogue drawing, I also enjoy taking a mixed-media approach, bringing in other materials and textures or using digital programmes such as Photoshop to develop my work.
Instagram: @clara.illustrates
Hui Chou
My practice is primarily based on analogue drawing and takes inspiration from my life experiences. Drawing in my sketchbooks is the way I connect and observe people and places. My favourite techniques are mixed media, markers, coloured pencils, crayons and posca pens. I make digital animations in which I like to include textures and soft colours to make the animation looks livelier and more dynamic.
Website: https://huichou.cargo.site
Instagram: @xuannnne_
Marta Casagrande
My work is usually based on drawing from imagination and the making of physical objects and toys. I have recently enjoyed experimenting with 3D modelling and laser cutting. The themes I like to explore are human interactions, diversity, childhood nostalgia and nature, expanding towards world building and character design. When sketching I tend to imagine things moving. I animate digitally and experiment with stop motion.
Website: https://martacasagrande.net/
Instagram: @inabighouse
Ella Dobson
I love character-focused projects and exploring the personality of the things that keep us company in this world. My work often takes the point of view of an observer, and usually I want the viewer to find a lifelike connection to the things I make. Charm, innate personality and comfort have been recent themes in my work, and I am really looking forward to marrying these with the new things I learn during my residency.
Website: https://dobbart.cargo.site/
Natalie Corner
I’m an Illustrator based in Bristol, using mostly biro and graphite to produce observational and commentary based illustrations. I also like to experiment with collage and embossing. I try to engage with human connection and human experiences in my work, often looking at topics less explored if I can. My final university project, and my current work with CW+ have a particular focus on accessibility. This is a topic that is particularly important to me and I would like to use art to make the world more accessible, and share new perspectives we may not already have ourselves.
Website: https://nataliecorner.cargo.site/
Instagram: @natalie.corner.art
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