Luke Ramsey and Anna May Bennett to create murals for the new BC Children’s Hospital
Anna May Bennett is on deadline for the biggest painting commission of her career – by far.
Working out of a sparse studio upstairs at Townsite’s Bank of Montreal building, the landscape painter has until October 15 to finish four large panels.
Anna May Bennett: Originally from Scotland, Anna studied both ballet and art after high school, eventually earning a Higher National Diploma in Public Art in Edinburgh. After several years with her professional art career on the back burner, the 38-year-old started painting full-time three years ago. Private collectors have responded enthusiastically to her unique vision of the sea and the forest. Her first major solo exhibit, Shorelines and Skylines, just closed September 18 at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery.
By fall of 2017, those panels will be transformed into a 69-foot-long mural in the main corridor of the new BC Children’s Hospital medical-surgical floor.
Photographs Anna snapped in the Penticton Trails and the Millennium Park Trails informed her preliminary watercolours, which she is now meticulously painting in oils, by day and night.
“This commission really solidifies that I did the right thing,” says Anna, who – with two young kids – quit her day job three years ago to paint full-time. It took her two days to complete the application process for this mural. It’s part of what is considered to be the largest art commission ever for a North American hospital, with a total budget of $6.5 million.
“I ignored a phone call from San Diego – because I never answer the phone when I don’t know who it is,” Anna says.
“They left a message saying I was a finalist. They wanted to know two things: was I interested, and could I get it done by October 15. I said yes on both counts!”
Remarkably, Anna isn’t the only Powell River artist chosen to design murals for the $678 million hospital redevelopment.
Luke Ramsey: Born in England, Luke moved to Victoria at age 9, spent the past nine years on Pender Island, and came to Powell River two years ago – thanks to his connections with local artists Meghan Hildebrand and Colin McCrae. Self-taught, the award-winning 37-year-old has exhibited internationally since 2003. He works as a muralist and freelance illustrator for The New York Times, Patagonia, the City of Edmonton, and many more clients. His book Intelligent Sentient? was published last year. Luke is represented by Madrona Gallery in Victoria.
Illustrator and muralist Luke Ramsey is the other. He’s creating art for four operating rooms.
More than 1,200 artists from across Canada applied to do murals for the new Teck Acute Care Centre, and just 32 were chosen. That two are from Powell River is a big deal.
Luke’s murals portray scenes of the BC coast, including mountains, oceans, and sea and bird life.
“The revision process has been time-intensive, there are so many groups the designs go through,” Luke said. “There are colours you have to avoid – such as red, which can be distracting to surgeons, and it represents blood. It’s challenging as an artist to have colours from your pallet omitted. Such projects have hurdles, but it’s worth it to make art for healing purposes.”
Anna’s mural is a close-up of a coastal forest trail. Children and their families will be able to lounge in the corridor, and find tiny forest friends in the image: spiders in webs, snails, slugs, butterflies, birds and more.
Both of their murals will be digitally-captured, enlarged, and printed on specialized panels that are wear-resistant and able to be cleaned to hospital sterilization standards.
Starting from scratch: Luke Ramsey and Anna May Bennett are two of 32 artists chosen to make murals – out of more than 1,200 artists who applied. Both of their work went through an intense process of panel decisions and revisions, and now they’re chasing an October 15 deadline. Above: Anna’s sketches and original watercolours for what will be a 69-foot mural. Right: Previous paintings Luke has completed featuring orcas and mountains. His commission for the hospital, though, can’t include the colour red.
The foundation is still choosing artists for other art works, which include sculptures, stand-alone art, and interactive digital works. The art-infused hospital will open in fall of 2017.
by Pieta Woolley
Powell River Living Magazine
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