Georgia Tillery Randak
Testing Hattie by Martin Grover

Image: Testing Hattie (1997-1998), Martin Grover, oil on canvas, from the Milton Keynes University Hospital Art Collection. 

In the next instalment of our Twenty for Twenty articles, we ask our Associate Artist and Creative Play project lead Georgia Tillery Randak to tell us about an artwork from the Milton Keynes University Hospital Art Collection.

Which work in The Collection have you chosen to talk about?

Martin Grover’s oil painting Testing Hattie (1997-98).

When and how did you first see it?

I am a commissioned artist for Arts for Health MK but also was a patient when I gave birth to my son last year. Memories of both experiences blur into one.

What first interested or attracted you to this artwork?

I was first intrigued by the girl in the painting, I had many questions, why is she there? Is she ok? What is she listening to? How is she feeling? I wanted to know her story. I was also intrigued by the diagram of the ear above her and how we see the ear working with her listening to music. I wanted to join her because she looked alone.

Do you remember how seeing this work made you feel?

I felt concern at first and nerves being in a doctor’s room waiting for a diagnosis. I felt quite helpless. But I believe the music is soothing the girl and making her feel motivated to take on whatever might face her.

In general, what kind of impact do you think seeing art at MKUH has on your experience of being on the hospital site?

I think it provides moments of escape but also reflection. It brings stories to the hospital and allows you to transport yourself away from the clinical hospital.

Contributor: Georgia Tillery Randak


Georgia is a local theatre practicioner / performer and director of Theatre and Outreach at the Black Sheep Collective. She is also Project Coordinator for Arts for Health’s current Creative Play music and song courses for mums and babies.
Find out more here: https://artsforhealthmk.org.uk/Creative-Play