New mural turns Monash Children’s Hospital courtyard into an ocean oasis

An ocean mural has been painted on a brick wall. There are two whales swimming together, surrounded by fish.

The Monash Children’s Hospital School has unveiled a new ocean mural in the Intensive Care Courtyard of the Oasis Unit at Monash Children’s Hospital.

This is the third mural in a series of artworks completed by artist Lynton Allan at MCH. In 2019, we celebrated the opening of two beautiful murals completed by Lynton in the MCH School Courtyard and Oasis Unit General Courtyard.

The new ocean mural is the largest artwork completed in the mural series so far, and we spoke to Lynton about the inspiration behind his latest mural.

“I decided to grace the walls with the gentle giants of the ocean, the humpback whales as well as schools of dolphins.

“I chose the dominant colours of blues and greens to create a sense of calmness and peace and sought to place them all in a flowing motion around the walls.

“The flow then culminates with the whales playing basketball around the physical hoop that is attached to the side wall hopefully to create a bit of fun.”

The mural took Lynton an impressive 12 half days to complete, and he gracefully managed the challenges of Melbourne’s winter weather and the use of a ladder and an 8-metre pole to which he attached brushes and rollers, to complete the artwork.

Lynton’s hope is that the murals will not only enhance the space of the courtyard for the youth and families of Monash Children’s Hospital, inclusive of the Oasis Unit, but also for the ‘amazing team members’ who work there and with whom he had the pleasure to interact with during the project.

Oasis Unit Intensive Care Courtyard mural completed by Lynton Allan

We spoke to Nicky Young, Nurse Manager, Oasis Unit, Early in Life Mental Health Services, Monash Health, about the impact of the new mural on our young patients and their families.

“The kids really love it! The artwork has turned an area that once had a grey wall into a space that is more child and family-friendly, making it feel bigger and more inviting with its colours and illustrations.

“The children and their families are facing difficult circumstances while in our care. These spaces offer them a moment of respite and joy and allow them to forget they are in a hospital environment for a little while.

“In our unit, we manage complex and challenging cases, and our work is fast-moving and in a highly demanding environment. For our team when we go into the courtyard it feels calming and offers us a moment to reflect and reset.”

Nicky also shared how Lynton was wonderful to work with and was very flexible in understanding the needs and operations of the unit as he completed his artwork.

The team at the Oasis Unit, the children they care for, and their families are very grateful for Lynton’s contribution and for the moments they spend in the courtyard they can truly say it feels like you’re in an oasis!

 

Acknowledgments 

The Monash Children’s Hospital School would like to thank South Oakleigh College and Haileybury Junior School, Edrington Campus, Berwick for their donations towards their programs and projects. 

The funds raised have supported the creation of the murals, an artist-in-residence program that runs throughout the year and the purchasing of library books and science and technology resources for the MCH School. 

There is still one more mural left to complete in the series, so be sure to keep an eye out!