Clevedon artists have donated a painting to the North Somerset Community Hospital as a way of saying ‘thank you’ to the NHS.

The artwork entitled Golden Treescape was created by Joan Hudson, and donated to the hospital by Studio 3 - a rural gallery and artists' studio based at Clevedon Craft Centre.

The group chose the painting because of its ‘tranquillity, enhanced by its unusual use of 24-carat gold leaf’.

North Somerset Times: Painting by Joan HudsonPainting by Joan Hudson (Image: Joan Hudson)

Joan said: “I was delighted and honoured that my painting was chosen by a group of local artists.

“I choose this subject because I admire trees, nature and the landscape very much, and I try to incorporate lighting and composition that is pleasing and tranquil.

“The idea behind my treescapes is that when one walks through a woodland or forest the light changes as one goes along.

“The 24-carat gilding has a similar effect because as you look at these paintings from different positions the light changes there too.”

Joan hopes that staff and visitors at the hospital will find the woodland painting interesting, intriguing and a calming distraction.

John Pope is one of nine resident artists based at Clevedon Craft Centre. He said: “We wanted, in some way, to thank everybody who works in the NHS.

“As North Somerset Community Hospital is very much part of our community, we also felt it was a way of marking the many decades of care they have provided locally.

“Art has the potential to calm, intrigue, comfort, distract and lift the spirits. All these qualities are clearly an advantage in any potentially stressful hospital setting at anytime, but especially so during a pandemic.”

Chair of Friends of North Somerset Community Hospital, David Fife, was present for the painting’s unveiling. He said: “The Friends appreciate all support from the local community and this unique presentation will be a reminder of what a difficult year 2020 was for the whole NHS."

Operational manager at same day urgent care and minor injury unit, Matt Croughan, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive such a lovely painting for people to enjoy while they are waiting for their appointments.