Nicola Bealing, Animal Alphabet for Bethlem Mother and Baby Unit (Central Panel), 2021

Nicola created an ‘Animal Alphabet’ for the Conference Room at the Bethlem Mother and Baby Unit at Bethlem Royal Hospital, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. This piece is the central panel of a triptych, painted in oil on dibond, showing a cheerful array of animals – from crocodiles and caterpillars to parrots and porpoises – representing each letter of the alphabet. The inspiration for this beautiful artwork came from the live animal painting workshop that Nicola hosted at the MBU on the 26 May 2021, during which she recognised how receptive patients were to the presence of animals. She wanted to bring a sense of the wonder of animals into the ward more permanently through her painting.

This artwork was commissioned by Hospital Rooms, an arts charity that brings art and creative activity to inpatient mental health wards around the UK.

Photograph: Damian Griffiths

www.hospital-rooms.com

www.nicolabealing.co.uk

We are always looking for interesting and visually appealing images for the cover of the Journal and would welcome suggestions or pictures, which should be sent to Dr Allan Beveridge, British Journal of Psychiatry, 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB, UK or [email protected].