Artist Jessica Lloyd-Jones has unveiled a series of permanent public art works for the new £53 million Rowan View mental health facility in Maghull, Merseyside.

Jessica Lloyd-Jones' work explores concepts of energy and natural phenomena through the experimental use of materials and light. Commissioned by Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust, Lloyd-Jones has created a series of site-specific, sensory installations for Rowan View. Each is inspired by weather: sun, wind, rain and the aurora borealis (Northern Lights). It is Lloyd-Jones’ first major public health commission and her first outdoor sculpture.

Sun Catcher (2020) is a vivid light installation suspended in the main atrium. 49 blown glass ‘raindrops’ hang from the ceiling at different heights. Created in collaboration with technical glass blowers and lighting specialists, each raindrop has been produced using light-diffracting optics. As natural sunlight refracts in the raindrops, it floods the atrium and nearby offices with a radiant rainbow colour spectrum. Sun Catcher creates a calming sense of movement and warmth as light changes throughout the day and in response to each season.

Shimmer Tree (2020) is a wind responsive sculpture standing in the main courtyard of Rowan View. Made in collaboration with Heat & Beat blacksmiths, the sculpture provides a mediative focal point that playfully inverts the natural world. Metallic leaves sway in the wind, reflecting iridescent light that seems to flitter between the seasons every few moments. The sculpture invites contemplation and reflection, suggesting the passage of time.

Optical Lenses (2020) consists of a series of transparent emerald green convex surfaces, fixed at different heights, reflecting light and colour as viewers walk past. The final work, Aurora (2020), is a light installation that bathes the internal corridors with a soft yet radiant colour scheme. These interventions transform the hospital into a welcoming and stimulating environment