The Maple Unit

In November 2023, I was approached by Art for Life at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust about creating artwork for the new Maple Unit. My previous work was shared with the clinical team, alongside that of other artists and I was thrilled to be chosen for the commission!

I shared a mood board showcasing my past projects with clinical staff, along with imagery inspired by plants mentioned during a recent workshop with the lived experience group. They expressed a desire for the artwork to be aesthetically gentle, human in scale, and rooted in nature, particularly trees. Spring was referenced as a symbol of hope and they were especially drawn to the idea of a natural meadow, echoing the wildflower planting plans for the outdoor spaces around the unit.

The second meeting, with a wider group of fundraisers, took place off-site and proved invaluable. I was encouraged to explore local landmarks such as Montacute House, Lytes Cary, and Nine Springs for inspiration.

The final designs were presented to the steering group around the same time, the unit’s name, Maple Unit, was officially confirmed. I completed the central reception artwork shortly afterward, which now greets everyone who visits.

I also created a large laser-cut and printed donor board, now installed in the entrance lobby. It proudly honours everyone who contributed to making the Maple Unit a reality.

At the entrance, you will find the large donor board. This board depicts a maple tree underplanted with grasses and wildflowers.

The welcoming reception features The Maple Unit signage cut from natural materials. I was able to blend wildflowers such as cow parsley with cultivated plants like Solomon’s seal and Eremurus. I often combine plants from different seasons to help avoid anxiety triggers, especially important in settings where life-limiting illnesses are involved. This striking biophilic entrance brings the outside in, with true-to-life scale plants that frame the reception beautifully.

Close by, in the main waiting area where the natural light is ideal, the view outside puts you at ease. It creates the feeling of sitting among the tree canopy. The large feature window allows warm light to flood the space, while the feature wall at the back of the waiting area extends this outdoor feeling even further.

A small children’s corner was incorporated into the scheme. Rather than creating overly childlike artwork, I used young silver birch trees to define a cosy, calming space.

Leading away from the waiting areas into the clinical spaces, you’ll find one long feature wall vinyl. This artwork blends seamlessly into the space, with its background colour matched to the surrounding paintwork. The design here focuses on a wildflower theme. After learning which wildflowers and grasses would be planted outside, I chose to bring them indoors as well. This creates a calming distraction in the circulation space.

Off the corridor are the mammogram and ultrasound rooms. These areas feature ceiling artwork, and a large light box was designed for the wall in the mammogram room.

Nearby consultation rooms have a natural plywood panel printed with a mix of wildflowers and tulips on each wall. As requested, these springtime flowers offer a sense of hope.

In the stair alcoves, you will see a distant view of the main building at Lytes Cary, framed by formal topiary shrubs sculpted into striking shapes. In the foreground are beautiful Sisyrinchium striatum.

On the lower ground floor is a scene inspired by many formal gardens—a framed view through a stone garden archway, looking into other floral ‘rooms.’

Through the door lies another waiting area, used for prosthetic fittings and is adjacent to the counselling rooms. Here, you’ll be met by a gentle landscape mural. In the distance is Barrington Court and the familiar outline of Burrow Mump on the left. The foreground creates the sense that you are sitting within a flower bed, with a murmuration of starlings dancing above, a common and memorable sight in this part of Somerset.

In the meeting room, there is a large plywood artwork featuring a familiar small building from the Montacute estate, appearing from behind the floral composition.

Lastly, another small feature wall can be found further down the corridor. This, too, blends into the wall, depicting a large planter, similar to those seen at Barrington Court. It is filled to the brim with bright, hopeful tulips, gentle ferns, and white alliums.