An artist who gave her time to paint a stunning giant mural on the wall of a leading children’s hospice hopes her work spreads joy and positivity.
Natasha Hulse spent seven days at the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) base in Milton, where the family accommodation – a place away from the care floor where parents and family members can rest and stay overnight – has been given a full renovation and refurbishment.
Natasha’s masterpiece now adorns the walls leading up to the bedrooms and encapsulates the peace and tranquillity of the area.
It features trees, flowers and greenery, and is also a celebration of the rural landscape of Cambridgeshire.
Natasha, a bespoke fabric artist, completed the project free of charge and said: “It was an absolute joy to be involved.
“I try and do something for charity every year and was delighted to be given this opportunity to work alongside EACH at Milton.
“It’s such a safe, calming and relaxing place, which I hoped to capture in the mural.
“People may think of hospices as being cold, sterile and clinical environments, with a sense of doom and gloom.
“However, most of my projects are colour-driven, and, for me, life is all about colour, rather than white walls.
“That’s why I used this design, to create calmness and incorporating soft, natural colours and elements to achieve the look and feel we were after.
“There are five different shades of greens and pinks, and hopefully it helps take people away from what might be going on in other parts of the hospice.
“There’s nothing harsh about it, and I wanted to do something big to engulf people and take them into a different world, bringing the outside in.”
Natasha had never previously been to a children’s hospice but enjoyed her time alongside the team at Milton.
“Everyone was so lovely,” she said.
“They’re great people, and I genuinely enjoyed being around them and finding out more about their jobs.
“Most of my work is done on commission, so this felt very different and was a nice and enjoyable change.
“It was also a bit of a rollercoaster, in terms of the environment I was working in.
“I was always mindful and respectful of the fact I was in a children’s hospice, and when I saw families arriving I thought ‘I can’t wait for you to see the mural’.
“It was a joy and such a happy, fulfilling project. It was a very meaningful experience, and I felt honoured to have been given the opportunity.
“Hopefully it makes a difference and has a positive impact.”
The paint for the mural was donated free of charge by Farrow & Ball.
Natasha said how much she enjoyed using it, highlighting its supreme quality.
“The paint was unbelievably beautiful to work with, being powdery, durable and wipeable,” she said.
“It created an ideal, timeless effect and mixing colours together was a real joy.
“It’s been a fantastic collaboration, and we’ve all come together to make this work.
“People want to help and be part of something like this.
“It’s such an amazing cause, and through this we’ve hopefully achieved something special.”
A spokesperson for Farrow & Ball, said it was a joy to contribute.
“People think of hospitals and hospices as being clinical and cold, with neutral colours and painfully bare, white walls,” she said.
“However, Milton is actually a warm, welcoming and supportive environment.
“Natasha’s mural is a beautiful piece of artwork, and we were thrilled to contribute.
“It’s been a lovely, worthwhile project, and hopefully it makes a real impact for the families being supported by EACH.”
Milton’s renovation and refurbishment was completed in late April.
The three family bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen have been upgraded and the windows changed to double-glazed units. The area has been repainted throughout and all furniture has been replaced.
The project was overseen and managed by Kelling Designs, working alongside Munro Building Services.
It was only possible thanks to outstanding support from the business and specialist interior design communities, many of whom donated or discounted items, or offered their services. To see a full list of the companies that supported the project, click here.
Pictures: Karen Self/EACH
