Local artist, Allen Stichler, is set to continue his relationship with the hospice by creating artwork for the York Room. Allen explains how and why he became involved with Dove House. “In 2010, I drove past Dove House Hospice and noticed the pile of poplar trees that had been taken down. I decided to contact them and ask whether they would like me to carve a piece of work onto one of the trunks.
“They were delighted to accept my offer and the resulting piece, which now stands outside the main entrance, features the Dove House Dove. I carved the piece at the Summer Fayre as an exhibition for the public to enjoy and featured examples of my other work such as other carvings, lino-cut prints and paintings. Some of the senior management team saw the paintings I had done in the style of stained glass windows and, after consulting with other staff and service users, asked if I would create some pieces for their York Room. The room had been described to me as a peaceful place for quiet reflection, relaxation and meditation for people of all or no faiths, the unifying subject seemed to be the seasons of the year and consequently the continuing cycle of life and the natural world. “The paintings will be transferred onto laminate, which will be placed onto the glass panes in the York Room and give the effect of stained-glass windows. The natural sunlight will illuminate and enhance the images whilst throwing coloured light into the room.”
“We are delighted that Allen has created these beautiful paintings for us and can’t wait for them to be installed so our patients and their families can enjoy their beauty,” said Andrea Beer. Allen chose the following symbols and the reasons why they are important to the York Room. HAWTHORN: long regarded as a sacred tree (the “Holy Thorn” at Glastonbury was supposedly planted by Joseph of Arimathea); considered to have healing properties. LAMB: Christians refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God, but lambs can also be seen as a symbol of innocence and vulnerability. POPPIES: symbolise remembrance. OAK LEAVES: oak trees are symbols of strength, durability, faith and endurance.
source: http://www.dovehouse.org.uk/document.doc?id=910