Earlier this year at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, creativity brought light to what can feel like routine and challenging days. The exhibition “Sunshine on a Dull Day” showcased artwork created by patients in the renal dialysis unit. This was delivered by Art in Hospital and supported by Creative Scotland and NHSGGC, with special thanks to Glasgow Renal and Transplant Unit Endowment and friends of Glasgow Royal Infirmary, who supported the exhibition.
One of the standout pieces, and the inspiration for the exhibition’s title, was created by patient Donna McCartney. Her drawing, Sunshine on a Dull Day, featured a vibrant vase of yellow daffodils set against a serene blue background, alongside a dialysis poster symbolising the daily restrictions of treatment. This juxtaposition told a powerful story: even amid medical challenges, creativity could bring warmth and hope.
Donna described being part of the project as “a delight” and “overwhelming.” She credited the encouragement of Art in Hospital for helping her rediscover her passion for art:
“The encouragement from the Art team was magnificent, which helped me produce the art piece that I drew, Sunshine on a Dull Day.
“On their Art trolley was a vast amount of items, such as books, fresh/dry flowers. I instantly chose fresh daffodils due to their bright, cheery yellow. At first, I focused only on the flowers, but then I thought, those daffodils are like a self-portrait of me being bright and cheerful, with my background showing dialysis and daily restrictions.”
For Donna, art provided a welcome distraction. “Taking part was enjoyable and took your mind off the treatment for a while,” she said. “It couldn’t totally, because of alarms and monitors, but the drawing made you eager to fulfil and satisfy the piece you were producing. Chatting to the Art team was a bonus too.
“I must confess that using pastels was a challenge, but I managed pretty well. When it came to writing words, pastel pencils made it far easier.”
The moment Donna saw her artwork featured as the main piece of the exhibition was unforgettable, saying, “I was overwhelmed at the amount of interest my art has had, it was an absolute honour. To name the exhibition after my drawing and use it as the main piece was amazing.
“It kept my mind free from what I was going through and brought great pleasure. This experience would help a lot of inpatients break up their day.
“It was also nice to hear how other patients felt the same about this helping their mental state. Even nursing staff joined in during breaks, which was great.”
Donna hoped viewers saw more than just bright colours. “Look beyond the cheerful colours and see the restrictions, the whole picture of me,” she noted. “I’m that main feature of being cheery and warm, but alive because of dialysis. That’s why I named it Sunshine on a Dull Day.”
