Last week, we were invited to Camborne and Redruth Community Hospital in Cornwall to take part in a wonderful creative workshop. Led by Cornish based and Hospital Rooms artist Ben Sanderson, we took a deep dive into the world of paper making alongside staff and patients of the ward.

A straightforward process encouraging creative exploration, Ben showed us the versatility of art by repurposing old works and giving them a new lease of life.  

From buckets brimming with leftover paper, Ben shredded pieces according to colour before whisking them up with a dash of water to create the pulp. With shades of colours from orange, white, purple and green, everyone chose their favourites and began to bring to life their very own masterpieces.

Getting stuck in, some piled on the pulp and crafted pieces bursting with vibrant colours, whilst others approached the task more meticulously, adding each new touch of colour with careful thought and precision.Once our pieces were complete, we gently patted down on the pulp to remove the excess moisture and gently lifted them outside to dry.

Taking in our own and each other’s work, conversations were sparked about choices of shapes, attractive colours and the nature which inspired us. We laughed about the strange texture of the pulp, the string of paper nestled in Ben’s hair and how damp and dye covered our hands had become.

We felt so lucky to attend, to connect with people from different walks of life, and to witness the wellbeing effects of creative expression.

We want to say a huge thank you to Hospital Rooms for inviting us, and to the patients and staff of the ward who so warmly welcomed us. We can’t wait for the rest of the workshops, and to watch the progress of this incredible project underway.

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