A new painting was received by Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) as part of its permanent art collection.
Generously donated by artist Frances Ferdinands, the large acrylic painting titled “Flyover” can now be seen hanging in The Main Street Bistro.
Sri Lankan-born, Ferdinands is a Canadian artist with a studio (Studio Vimy Fine Art) and home tucked in the hills of Northumberland County.
For over three decades she has exhibited her work in both solo and group exhibitions locally, nationally, and internationally.
Her paintings are held in private, corporate as well as museum collections including the Royal Ontario Museum.
She is currently preparing for her first Solo Exhibition in London, England in March of this year.
Ferdinands and her husband moved to Northumberland County seven years ago, leaving behind the cityscape of downtown Toronto for something completely different – a country home surrounded by farms and rolling hills.
Though most of her business is still conducted out of Toronto, this move has provided opportunities to be closer to nature and has allowed her to devote herself full time to her studio practice.
When asked what inspired her to donate “Flyover” to NHH, Ferdinands remembers the care she received from hospital staff during her one-time stay as a patient, when she required an emergency appendectomy after arriving at NHH’s Emergency Department with abdominal pain.
Dr. Al-Ali, General Surgeon, was on-call at the time and responded quickly, along with surgical staff, to perform her emergency operation, which was conducted in Ferdinands’ words, “in the nick of time.”
She adds that, “Dr. Al-Ali’s bedside manner was upbeat and jovial (and) the team was extremely professional and speedy. I think it is out of this positive experience and noticing a Landon McKenzie painting in the upper hallways that got me thinking of a possible donation.”
(Pictured in photo, from left: Nicole Wood (NHH Patient Care Manager – Critical Care and Respiratory Therapy), Frances Ferdinands (Artist), Susan Walsh (NHH VP of Patient Services and Chief Nursing Executive))
