Paintings for GSHS mean you’re never alone

GIPPSLAND Southern Health Service commissioned First Nations woman Bobbie Lee Blay to paint original art pieces for the Leongatha and Korumburra hospitals.

The traditional style dot painting is in the entrance of Korumburra hospital and colours of blue and white pull you into the painting and your eye naturally traces the flow of the circles.

The sister painting displayed at Leongatha is equally entrancing with the same dot pattern in warm tones of reds and oranges.

While the colours are eye catching and wonderfully complimentary, it’s the circles in the painting that are particularly significant.

Titled, ‘I’m standing with you,’ Bobbie Lee said the connection between the circles represent people, and that we are never alone.

“When you see the picture, there’s a loop to the next circle, and that just is a connection, so we’re always standing with you.”

“When you think you’re alone, you’re never really alone. Someone’s always with you and that’s all it represents.”

Bobbie Lee lost her daughter in 2019 and many works sprung from the raw emotion and the isolation she experienced during this time, together with COVID, and she poured her energy into creating.

Bobbie Lee hopes that these two paintings may bring some peace and comfort to others who are coming into hospital and who may be feeling alone.