Children's Theatre Suite murals and decorative features

In 2021, Suzanne was commissioned to create large-scale bespoke illustrations for the new Children’s Theatre Suite at the Tayside Children’s Hospital, Ninewells.  The suite was created following years of planning and a £2 million fund-raising campaign, part of it through the money raised by the Archie Foundation from the Oor Wullie Bucket Trail of 2015. Previously a lack of capacity meant that many children had to undergo treatment in the adult surgical wards but the new suite allows many more children to be treated in a child-friendly environment. Various design elements were developed with input from families and hospital staff. Local children and their families were also encouraged to help choose the artwork theme for the reception/waiting area of the suite.

According to Suzanne: “The overarching theme for the artwork I have created for the CTS is that of journeys, nature and dreams. It is all about encouraging imagination and also about appreciating, even learning more about, the landscapes and wildlife that is found in and around Dundee and Tayside. With these illustrations, I wanted to create adventures, filled with characters, local wildlife and colour but also retain the wonderful calming effect that nature has. I hope imaginations are captured and young minds are transported into a fun world. The illustrations will hopefully bring a little bit of outside indoors and we all know how much being outside helps our mental health, particularly if we are feeling anxious and stressed. With the journey from reception to theatre firmly in mind I have kept the theme of journey, travel and movement high on the agenda. You can see boats and the Rail Bridge and a hot air balloon in the waiting area and you can maybe pretend that you are in one of them as you embark upon on your ‘riverside adventure’. Along the corridor are more hot air balloons and a train that has crossed the bridge and making its way to theatre too. Each of these elements carry things that are both familiar and also introduce new things that you will be meeting in the anaesthetic rooms. For example there is a rocket suspended from a hot air balloon and another loaded onto a train carriage, both of which will be seen again in the space themed anaesthetic room. Similarly submarines and our gentle whale travel with us until we get to the underwater themed room. There are pockets of illustrations that are very detailed and encourage exploration and conversation in areas where more distraction may be helpful. Similarly where it is more helpful to keep everyone moving along the corridor the illustrations are more about movement and travel, with a little less distraction.”

Suzanne’s designs complemented other design elements added by NHS Tayside including door designs and sky panels on ceilings. Most of the murals were created digitally but some hand-painted 3D elements were included such as the treehouse. Suzanne’s Oor Wullie design from 2015 (Oor Dreamcatcher) is also on display at the entrance.

Note that only the main entrance and reception area are publicly accessible – other murals and artworks in the corridors, anaesthetic room and consultation rooms can only be seen by staff, patients and their families.