Artist Tilly Lees collects messages of kindness from patients, staff and visitors to RPA Hospital

Heartfelt messages collected by Sydney artist Tilly Lees inspired a new permanent artwork for Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Artist Tilly Lees at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with her work, Collecting Kindness. A collection of the framed messages will go on permanent display at the hospital in Camperdown. Picture: David Swift.

Sometimes they’re brief: “You matter”.

Or reassuring: “Everything’s gonna be OK”.

Or something a coach might say: “You can do it. We all love you”.

Or chocolate-inspired: “Time and Tim Tams heal all wounds!”

These messages and many more have grown into a unique art project at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown.

Mosman artist Tilly Lees has spent the last three weeks on her Collecting Kindness project, setting up a work bench right outside the intensive care unit.

She invited patients, families, visitors and hospital staff to contribute encouraging messages.

RPA volunteers also took sketchbooks around the wards so patients in bed could participate.

Lees got the idea for Collecting Kindness after being sick in hospital in 2013. One of the messages she received at the time said, “You are my sunshine”. It was something she never forgot.

“It was from my family,” Lees said.

“Getting a message of kindness when you aren’t well really helps.

“You don’t think it does when you aren’t sick, but it really does.”

Four-year-old Ariadne works with RPA artist-in-residence Tilly Lees. The artist will be collecting more messages at RPA’s Open Day today. Picture: David Swift.

“Time and Tim Tams heals all wounds” — one of the messages of hope collected by artist Tilly Lees for her RPA project. Picture: David Swift.

Lees and her project were supported by Arterie at RPA, a health and art program that seeks to reduce the stress and trauma associated with illness and hospitalisation.

Lees found that just by being visible in the hospital atrium during her project attracted many people to stop and talk to her. And not all of them were patients.

“The emergency doctor said, ‘this is so great, tell me what you’re doing’,” Lees said.

“It’s so joyous. This is what’s so great about it.”

From the many messages Lees collected, the artist selected 25 to transcribe on to sturdy art paper in Indian ink.

These framed messages will soon hang permanently in one of the main public hallways of RPA’s historic main building.

All of the messages collected will be recorded on the website of Arterie at RPA.

Arterie was started five years ago by Amanda Solomon, an expert in the healing capacity of the arts who has worked at the Art Gallery of NSW.

These framed messages will hang permanently in a public area of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, as part of the Collecting Kindness project. Picture: David Swift.

“You are much loved and cherished” — from Tilly Lees’ Collecting Kindness project. Picture: David Swift.

“Potentially (Arterie) could go further afield. It’s growing at a rate of knots,” Solomon said.

Arterie had brought “life and colour” to RPA, the hospital’s acting general manager Nobby Alcala said.

For little Ariadne, aged four, helping Lees with the project was a perfect distraction while waiting for her grandma to have microsurgery on her cut finger.

Ariadne did a gorgeous picture of a house.

And some of the other messages? Try these for lifting your spirits:

“When I was sick I felt really loved.”

“One gentle step at a time.”

“Everything is in the new day and the beautiful sun that shines!”

“Stay strong, you’ll be fine.”

There’s still time to contribute to Collecting Kindness. Lees will be working on the project at RPA today (November 5), as part of the hospital’s Open Day.