Merlin has been commissioned to create and install a wide range of illustration, photography and sculptural work over the last decade. Below is a small selection of some of her projects, to showcase the range of work delivered under Drawn to Medicine.
Hospital Installations
VINYL INSTALLATION 2017-2018
Illustrated and installed art work for 28 bed Respiratory Ward, Stafford County Hospital, NHS. Created 8 large scale vinyl mixed media portals (100cm), 24 individual illustration wall transfers, a series of typographic banners and an illustrated 'Tolerance Wall' for Respiratory Ward Physiotherapists to use with patients to determine aerobic capacity.
Artwork created featured areas of outstanding beauty local to Staffordshire, and was designed to encourage a sense of flow, freedom of movement and fresh air for patients and staff. Work created over 6 months. Ran extensive consultations and workshops throughout the period with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure artwork engaged residents and staff.
Kershaw Ward St Charles Hospital London 2018 - 2019: Artist Residency
Residency working with patients and staff on acute adult mental health ward, developing through principles of co-design a series of artworks for installation on the ward walls. These were three 90cm x 90cm illustrated silk scarves exploring themes of nature, seasons, life cycles and bringing the outside in. These scarves were illustrated in workshops with patients, and designs further developed by the artist in her studio. Scarves were framed to meet hospital health and safety and dementia friendly ethics and approval boards on the ward. The designs are showcased below, along with patient quotes that fed into each element of the scarf designs.
Museum Installations
STEEL 2016-2017
This commission involved running a series of co-design workshops with the local community, exploring elements of park life at Gunnersbury Park Museum, and illustrating icons to support way-finding around the park. Drawings were cut into naturally weathered steel so the work became part of the landscape. The sculptural hubs are double sided, to allow for visitors to see the signs from multiple angles. Textural, raised sections were drawn and built for visitors with visual impairments and placed at a suitable height to allow the trail to remain interactive and engaging. In total 8 hub plinths were installed over the course of a year of delivery.
WAX 2015 - 2019
Series of anatomical studies in wax created at Guy's Pathology Museum (London) in conjunction with the Medical Artists' Education Trust, and the incredible anatomical, medical artists Pascale Pollier and Eleanor Crook. My thanks go out to all my tutors, who have generously donated their time, skill, expertise and warmth in preparation of these installation pieces.
CERAMICS
100 ceramic tiles illustrating pregnancy & birth. Created as a mock up design proposal for Donor Wall: Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists:
