Students get creative in Fiona Stanley Hospital Art Competition

By Saskia Tjahja Fiona Stanley Hospital is hosting a student art competition to help brighten its new children’s paediatric ward and emergency department. Both are due to be opened in December this year. Art students from seven local high schools have been working hard this semester to produce artwork that would stimulate young patients’ imagination and distract them from feelings of pain and discomfort. More than 100 entries were received from All Saints College, Canning Vale College, North Lake Senior Campus and Applecross, Lynwood, Melville and Hamilton Senior High Schools. Students were asked to illustrate what Western Australia means to them, using a mix of paints, pens and pencils. Primary school students from Caralee Community School and West Leeming, Bibra Lake, Melville, Hilton, Bull Creek and South Lake Primary schools visited the hospital last Tuesday to act as judges. Fiona Stanley Hospital’s Communications team member Gemma O’Loughlin said that kids would know what’s best for young patients in the children’s department. “The primary school kids were really involved in judging the artworks, they were really conscious of what would be nice in a hospital environment,” said Miss O’Loughlin. One particular artwork illustrating colourful marine life was created by refugee students from North Lake Senior Campus – the paintings were used as a part of their art therapy. “Because they are refugee students, a lot of them haven’t seen divers and waters before, so they Youtubed it. “I thought it was incredible how they’d never seen the ocean, even though it’s so natural here in Perth, and they did a really good job,” said Miss O’Loughlin. “We have a lot of young talented artists in our community,” said Ms. Marsella Tan from the Cardiology Department, “I can’t wait to see the winners and share them with my colleagues”. Winners will be announced at an official event tonight.