Cecile Johnson Soliz, The Healing Garden
The Healing Garden
Cecile Johnson Soliz’s The Healing Garden lets critical-care patients spend time outside among the sights, smells, sounds, textures and tastes of nature. The garden will grow to become a place to enjoy the scents of wisteria, lavender and mint, listen to long grasses dancing in the breeze, and pick a flower or two or healing herbs for a cup of tea.
Cecile worked with artist Eifion Porter to make the raised oak sleeper beds, pergola, quiet bench and sculptural wall that give The Healing Garden form. For the dedicated Children’s Nature Garden, she planted large, colourful flowers, including 500 daffodils. The artist hopes that being able to experience nature through all the senses will be calming and uplifting, connecting visitors to the beauty and mystery of nature.
The Healing Garden was inspired by Dr David Hepburn, who contacted Studio Response to emphasise the importance of access to nature for the wellbeing and recovery of his critically ill patients. Speaking about his work at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, he said: ‘At the moment we wheel our patients out to the car park or Belle Vue entrance of the hospital, and despite the austere surroundings, getting them outside provides a huge boost to their morale…The effect of going outside on their illness, their psychological state and the huge benefits of this practice is very clear to us as a multidisciplinary team…That little bit of freedom can literally be lifesaving in some patients.’
Mae Gardd Iachâd gan Cecile Johnson yn caniatáu i gleifion gofal critigol dreulio amser yn yr awyr agored ymhlith golygfeydd, arogleuon, synau, gweadau a blasau natur. Bydd yr ardd yn tyfu'n rhywle i fwynhau arogleuon wisteria, lafant a mintys, gwrando ar y glaswellt hir yn dawnsio yn yr awel, a chasglu blodyn neu ddau neu berlysiau iachaol i wneud paned.
Gweithiodd Cecile gyda'r artist Eifion Porter i greu'r gwelyau blodau derw uchel, y pergola, mainc dawel a'r wal gerfluniau sy'n rhoi strwythur i'r Ardd Iachâd. Ar gyfer yr Ardd Natur i Blant, plannodd flodau mawr, lliwgar, gan gynnwys 500 o gennin Pedr. Gobaith yr artist yw y bydd gallu profi natur drwy'r holl synhwyrau yn creu naws ddigyffro ac yn codi'r ysbryd, gan gysylltu ymwelwyr â harddwch a dirgelwch natur.
Cafodd Gardd Iachâd ei hysbrydoli gan Dr David Hepburn, a gysylltodd â Studio Response i bwysleisio pwysigrwydd mynediad at natur i lesiant ac adferiad y cleifion hynny sy'n ddifrifol wael. Gan drafod ei waith yn Ysbyty Brenhinol Gwent yng Nghasnewydd, meddai: 'Ar hyn o bryd rydym yn mynd â'n cleifion allan i'r maes parcio neu i fynedfa Belle Vue yr ysbyty, ac er gwaethaf yr amgylchedd llwm, mae mynd â nhw allan i'r awyr iach yn rhoi hwb enfawr i'w hysbryd... Mae effaith mynd allan i'r awyr iach ar eu salwch, eu cyflwr seicolegol a manteision enfawr hyn yn amlwg iawn i ni fel tîm amlddisgyblaethol... Gall mymryn bach o ryddid achub bywyd rhai cleifion, yn llythrennol.'
About the artist | Yr artist
Cecile Johnson Soliz is an artist and educator based in Cardiff. She is known for her large-scale exhibitions of sculpture and drawings, and projects that include fine art, craft and design. She is a recipient of the Eisteddfod Gold Medal Fine Art (2017) and has exhibited throughout Wales and internationally. Her recent exhibitions/projects include ‘TWIST’ (Oriel Davies Gallery, 2019) and ‘Exploratory Dances for Drawing and Sculpture’ (Cardiff Dance Festival, 2019).
Mae Cecile Johnson Soliz yn arlunydd ac addysgwr sy'n byw yng Nghaerdydd. Mae'n adnabyddus am ei harddangosfeydd mawr o gerfluniau a lluniau, a phrosiectau sy'n cynnwys celfyddyd gain, crefft a dylunio. Mae'n un o enillwyr Medal Aur Celfyddyd Gain yr Eisteddfod (2017) ac mae wedi arddangos ei gwaith ledled Cymru ac yn rhyngwladol. Mae ei harddangosfeydd / prosiectau diweddar yn cynnwys 'TWIST' (Oriel Davies, 2019) a 'Exploratory Dances for Drawing and Sculpture' (Gŵyl Ddawns Caerdydd, 2019).