Seeing Green

Location: Along the Balcony Wall, first floor

With this display of paintings we invite visitors to consider the colour green. Associations differ around the globe and through history, but in modern Britain green tends to be linked to nature and environmental issues.

There are multiple health benefits from being close to nature. This may be in open countryside, the shade of woodland, local parks or even tending plants in your own garden. Being in green spaces improves physical and mental wellbeing for all ages. Studies have shown that it can lower blood pressure and stress levels, promote better sleep and positive thoughts.

The artists represented here had different reasons to paint greenery. For example, John Nash painted landscapes as therapy to overcome trauma, while Caroline Emily Gray Hill continued painting in later life by studying flowers close to home. In contrast, Jim Russell was an environmentalist who preferred using recycled materials as a base for his paintings.

Having a Look by Jim Russell, 1972

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