Elizabeth Court care home resident’s painting on online art gallery

Artwork created by two residents from Elizabeth Court care home in Caterham is showcasing online as part of National Day of Arts in Care Homes today.

Art enthusiast Margaret Warner, 88, and Betty Bush, from Anchor’s Elizabeth Court in Grenadier Place, were thrilled to be told their artwork had been selected for the online gallery which is focusing on how arts has been used to keep care settings connected during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Margaret’s collage and Betty’s tapestry will feature alongside 43 other care home residents’ work on Anchor’s and the Art in Care Homes Day websites.

As part of the national event, the family of fellow resident Rhona Rawson also donated 20 of her paintings which are currently being displayed altogether on one corridor in the home.

They will be divided up and mounted in different areas of Elizabeth Court so Rhona and the other residents and staff can enjoy looking at them.

Rhona, 91, who has lived at Elizabeth Court since January this year, said: “I’m delighted to see my paintings, particularly the one of the four seated men, being displayed for everyone to see.”

Art enthusiast Rhona, who studied drawing, painting and sculpture at Croydon College of Art, mostly painted using oils, with subjects ranging from portraits, landscapes and flowers to scenes from her many travels around the world.

She also created sculptures in plaster and bronze. She set up the art club in Chilcompton village in Somerset and later chaired the club, only retiring from her role in her early eighties. 

She encouraged and helped to teach many new artists during her time there and led a project to create a mural for the village hall commemorating the village’s coalmining history. 

Residents and staff from Elizabeth Court took part in the national celebration day by organising a variety of activities.

They joined more than 30 of Anchor’s care homes across England for an art-themed quiz on Zoom so that residents in the homes around the country could compete against each other.

There was also a live Indian dancing demonstration broadcast to the care homes online as part of the day. Residents were encouraged to take part in the chair-based dance exercises run by Bisakha Sarker, Chaturangan’s the artistic director, who was awarded an MBE in 2014 for services to Indian dance. 

Diane Armstrong, Anchor’s Wellness Advisor, said: “We are so happy to take part in the National Day of Arts in Care Homes as it builds on the many creative activities we already organise in our 114 care homes across England. 

“Art is a wonderful way for residents to express their feelings, show off their artistic flare and for others to appreciate the talents of the older people living in our care homes.”

The online gallery of older people’s artwork can be viewed here

For more information on Elizabeth Court, contact 0800 731 2020.