East Cleveland Hospital

The East Cleveland Community Hospital opened in Brotton in 1995. In its planning stages, the hospital commissioned a number of site-specific artworks and sculptures by both local and national artists and craftspeople. The selection panel included members of South Tees Community and Mental Health NHS Trust, League of Friends, the Community Health Council, project managers Hall and Partners, architects Fletcher Joseph and Cleveland Arts.

There were six features placed across the hospital site, relating to the location of the hospital and referring to agriculture, mining, the coastline and sea life:



Brick Relief
Artist Julia Barton was commissioned to enhance the main entrance to the hospital, and made intricately carved brick panels that depict the current surrounding rural area as well as how it has been over time. The entrance has been described as: "expansive ploughed fields lead you across the gently rolling landscape, forming chequered arable farming patterns, overlooked by the dramatic ridges in the distance."

Glass
Chloe Buck created the glass panels in the main foyer. She used a variety of techniques such as sand blasting and etching to create a range of textures and tones, which show the coastline and its sea creatures.



Paintings
Guisborough based artist John Carter's four paintings are placed at the crossing point of the main corridors, and show views of the former cottage hospital and the surrounding area. Carter worked meticulously for many hours to create these dramatic works.



Cobblestone Water Feature
This work, based on the sea's proximity and the tidal pull of the Moon, was made by Lancaster based artist Maggy Howarth. The water feature consists of a series of steps over which water cascades into a pool, where there is a smiling crescent moon. It can be found at the main internal courtyard, and the artist worked with the architects to make it a central part of the area.

Decorative Ironwork
Peat Oberon produced a wall top rail and gate for the dining room balcony, which is based on ironstone mining in East Cleveland. The pattern contains the outline of a miner's shovel and spray - a peg pushed into the spoked wheels of a mining tub as a brake.



Decorative Ironwork
Another ironwork for the day room balcony balustrade, by artist Graeme Hopper, which relates to banners used by miners. shows mining motifs cut out of steel plate which has been suspended as if by rope from a standard.