Mark Fennell RBSA

News and events

tagged portraitsfornhsheroes

Here’s my third portrait for #portraitsfornhsheroes. This is Theodora, she's a university student who was asked to come and help out in the Covid Intensive Care Units and wards because they were desperate and so understaffed! I painted her portrait as part of the #portraitsfornhsheroes initiative created by fellow Oxford art society member and painter friend Tom Croft.

#portraitsfornhsheroes

Here’s my second portrait for #portraitsfornhsheroes. I challenged myself by painting Katy just with palette knifes. I painted her portrait as part of the #portraitsfornhsheroes initiative created by fellow Oxford art society member and painter friend Tom Croft.

Katy's experience her own words.
“I’m a theatre recovery nurse. I qualified as a nurse in 2012 working first at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and later the BMI. During the full-on Covid period both NHS and private hospitals dedicated themselves to the common Covid struggle. The private sector was contracted to the NHS. I did a number of long shifts in an area designated for Covid patients with “hot and cold” areas - an off shoot of ITU. I also had informal caring responsibilities to my every father (recently widowed), whilst trying to socially distance.”

#portraitsfornhsheroes
My portrait for #portraitsfornhsheroes got a little feature in the Bucks Herald and Vale life magazine i was also intervied on Three Counties Radio.
Portrait of nurse Megan Woodman, painted as part of Oxford art society member Tom Croft’s brilliant idea #portraitsfornhsheroes.
Megan works at Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London and has been nursing for only a year and a half. She was transfered to the ITU unit during the Covid19 pandemic.
If you would like to nominate an NHS Hero to be painted, sign into Instagram and search the hashtag #portraitsfornhsheroes to find an artist.

#portraitsfornhsheroes

Megan works as a nurse at Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London and has been nursing for only a year and a half. She was transfered to the ITU unit during the Covid19 pandemic. I painted her portrait as part of the #portraitsfornhsheroes initiative created by fellow Oxford art society member and painter friend Tom Croft.

Megan’s experience her own words.

I felt very lucky that I had worked in a medical ward and had recent surgical experience before being transferred to ITU during the covid pandemic as both areas intertwined in the high level of care- but was still surprised by how different it felt to any experiences I’ve had through training and qualification.

As someone who enjoys chatting with patients it felt very strange to be looking after someone and not know what their voice sounded like. The dissonant sound of countless beeps, hums and drones from the equipment in the room almost became the patients voice whilst they couldn’t use their own- alerting to when something is wrong and reassuring when things improve.

My overwhelming feeling of working in ITU during the pandemic was gratitude for the nurses, doctors, physiotherapists and other fantastic members of the healthcare team. I continually saw colleagues support each other and help with not only the patient during and incredibly scary and difficult period of their life, but also fortifying and providing reassurance to ITU newcomers like myself.

I’m grateful for my ITU experience, and feel very lucky to have seen so many patients improve and to use their voices again. “