Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Trust Commission
Adult Acute Mental Health Ward, Longley Park, Sheffield. August - October 2025
We had seen your work at various print exhibitions and were drawn to the bold colours and expressive shapes you use. We were looking for an artist who could not only create bespoke artwork for our setting, but who could also design and run workshops for our service users that linked to the final artwork.
Soo Boswell.
Without a doubt the highlight of my year was being commissioned to create a series of artworks and printmaking workshops for a new ward in the grounds of the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, UK.
The art work was for the Acute Adult Mental health ward and I met with Soo Boswell who is the Arts in Health Coordinator for Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Trust, along with Hannah Godfrey who is Professional lead for Arts Therapies and Arts in health, to discuss the project.
The ward was in the process of being refurbished and the commission was to create several large artworks for one of the corridors in the ward.
From the start I was really excited about this opportunity. It was a dream commission for me and I felt clear on the workshop activities I wanted to plan for the service users, as well as feeling really excited at the challenge of producing a series of larger prints to be displayed in the ward. I’d never worked to this scale before and my mind was whirring with ideas.
The over arching theme for the visual design of the refurbished ward was ‘Earth, Sea, Sky’ and I was asked to use this theme as a starting point both in the commissioned art works and also for six workshops that I was asked to plan and deliver at the same time. The idea was that the work produced on the workshops would help inform and inspire the art work I created.
The workshops
In some of our settings we have challenges engaging people in activities and so we needed an artist who was patient and able to tailor the activities to people’s skill and ability.
Soo Boswell.
The workshops were for Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust users at different stages of recovery. Some are living in the community and visit a drop in centre and some are in residential care.
Visiting three different sites twice over 2 weeks, each workshop began with the ‘Earth, Sea, Sky’ theme as the starting point for printing activities. Participants were invited to create work around any aspect of the theme that they were drawn to, but this wasn’t prescriptive and was up individuals as to whether their print works linked to this theme or not.
The first three workshops involved stamp printing. During each workshop participants printed onto paper with ink pads using a selection of hand-made stamps. Some stamps were initially provided by me and others were made during the workshops by the participants. We referred to the theme of ‘Earth, Sea, Sky’ as a possible starting point and I created stamps in advance that were inspired by these themes, along with other simple stamp shapes.
To fit with the colour scheme of the ward I was asked to use a pallet of green shades with orange as an accent colour. I chose to organise the ink pads into colour groups of greens & blues and orangey browns for the workshops although I also had other colours available such as pinks, reds, yellows available too. It was interesting to see the colours that each participant was drawn to and also which stamps they preferred to use. Some were happy to use the stamps I had provided, some tried creating their own stamps while others requested that I make them a stamp in their chosen shape. .
The second series of three workshops involved Gelli printing. This time participants printed onto Gelli plates using hand-cut stencils provided by me, or made on the workshops, again on the ‘Earth, Sea, Sky’ theme. Many were intrigued by the name ‘Gelli’ printing and had not heard of the technique before. Compared to stamp printing there was less control of the outcome and more chance of surprises, both good and disappointing. I encouraged participants to create layers of printing and to persevere when a result was not as expected. Explaining that often it is the fourth or even fifth layer of colour that really brings the print to life.
Several of the service users took part on both the stamp and the Gelli printing workshops and engagement was really high. Despite some apprehension about the activity, once participants began printing and saw the results produced, they became more confident in themselves to try different colour combinations, playing with composition, exploring layers of printing and becoming really absorbed in the process. While creating their prints many participants talked about their ideas and inspiration for the work they were creating. This included their families, their pets, a love of nature and art they remembered doing in the past. Many participants printed continuously for the whole two hour duration of each of the workshops and many really beautiful, colourful prints were created. Participants were enthusiastic about the work they created and most agreed that their work could be exhibited in an exhibition that was to take place.
I was delighted to see the mental health service users so engaged in the printmaking workshops and I was really pleased with the artwork created. I was interested to note that from the choices of stamps and stencils available, there was a strong preference for the themes of trees and leaves from many participants.
The workshops were delivered at a pace to suit the service users taking part and you were very skilful in adapting the tasks as needed. It was very service user lead…. you showed great listening and flexibility to be led by the service users.
(The workshops were) gentle at the start but with enough support and advice to enable people to create something unique and beautiful and perfectly pitched.
(Participants) commented on how much they enjoyed the sessions, how they were just the right length and difficulty level and are very keen to have you back for some more printing.
Soo Boswell.
The commission
As I developed my ideas for the six art works to be displayed in Maple Ward, I considered and responded to the print works on these workshops.
From the theme of ‘Earth, Sea, Sky’, I was particularly drawn to the theme of ‘Earth’ myself and inspired by the fact trees and leaves had been so popular on the workshops, I decided to use these motifs as a starting point for the work I produced for the ward. I was also asked to reference the colour palette of greens and orange that was being used on walls and furnishings in the refurbished ward.
The image of the tree with its strong central trunk structure and branches leading outwards to me represents strength and stability. The central trunk structure representing an idea of pathways both of growth and also literally, like a map spreading outwards in various directions giving the viewer choices as to which path to choose. I also felt that the shapes and outlines of leaves was exciting to explore. The colours and shapes of leaves from Spring through to Autumn, falling from the trees to the ground, to become part of the earth was a fascinating and exciting visual idea which I wanted to explore as well.
Throughout the six works it was important to me to include a repeating motif which often features in much of my print work. The quadrant form, made up of carved woodblocks, each carved differently, repeat printed to produce a complete circle, a semi circle, or fragmented quadrants. Printed in layers and adding visual complexity through the various colours, textures and directions of each printed block. The circular form as a closed circle form may suggest a sense of completion and harmony. In the manner of printing I also try to convey feelings of indecision, uncertainty, confusion, a sense of repetition and routine and sometimes a feeling of wholeness and of having reached an end. Emotions, sensations and experiences that can be a constant factor of our existence.
Through this series of six art works I hope to evoke the idea of life transitions from a state of stability and structure, towards disruption and unpredictability, moving again towards newly evolved forms of order.
Five of the six works are woodcut prints and the final piece is a collage made up of printed papers that began as paper stencils used during the process of printing the other five works. You can see all six works below in order with their titles.
Samantha Groom.
It has been a joy to work with you on this project from start to finish. You listened carefully to our requirements whether that was the colour palette we were using on the ward or the accessibility of the workshops. You came to each workshop with enthusiasm, skill and patience and were willing to support every participant on their printing journey. You talked to the participants about colour and shape and what type of nature they were drawn to and incorporated this into the final designs.
Staff …. who joined in with the sessions have gained confidence and will be able to offer basic printing at their art sessions. It was also an opportunity for staff and service users to work alongside each other in learning a new skill and being open and playful.
The prints created (by service users)… were mounted by staff and shown at our art exhibition and they will now be on display at the setting. At the…drop-in sessions it was wonderful to see the participants gaining confidence in their abilities. Some of them were a little hesitant and daunted at the start, but you were able to put them at their ease and gently encourage them.
The final artworks are beautiful, layered and detailed. They have been admired by people visiting our office and will shortly be going up on the ward, where they will provide colour and interest and fit in with our overall design scheme. On a very practical level, you have turned up on time, well prepared and been incredibly adaptable in all situations.
Soo Boswell.