Drawing memories.
In late January 2021 artist Peter Poulet listened to memories about Maitland and its hospital. He sketched. He drew. He gave the artworks to the individuals who shared their memories.
Peter was collecting inspiration for the artwork he is creating for the main entrance foyer of the new Maitland Hospital. The events were organised by NSW Health Infrastructure and were held at the Maitland Hospital, East Maitland Library and Maitland Regional Art Gallery. Twenty people shared their memories.
![Peter Poulet (left) and Joe Eisenberg (who chaired the sessions) listening to Peta Apostolatos at Maitland Hospital, 28 January 2021.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fadc3ec9da2506552a39289/1615768444048-EU85IEOK54TVUBG60Z85/20210128_141933.jpg)
![Some of Peter Poulet's drawing equipment.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fadc3ec9da2506552a39289/1615768465843-NB5N1GEU27OSDVGJZZAC/20210129_144632.jpg)
![Peter Poulet's drawing equipment.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fadc3ec9da2506552a39289/1615768488242-3G4WSE47QYSMFXD6PC4S/20210129_144640.jpg)
![Joe Eisenberg and Peter Poulet at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery, 29 January 2021.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fadc3ec9da2506552a39289/1615768512610-XC9UQ4XK81REZIX5B4EU/20210129_151132.jpg)
Peter’s drawings for each participant, along with each participant’s name, are below. A number of the memories and stories they shared are being used in other hospital stories.
Peter is an abstract artist. As he explains, he aims ‘to capture … the spirit or ethos’ of the stories he hears. His work is about ‘colour, form, gesture, tone and their interplay’. It is about feelings and movement.
Click on the images to see a larger view and a slideshow.