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Artist’s Elmer tribute will never forget


When gifted local artist Colin Pethick learned of the opportunity to lend his talent to St Luke’s by painting one of the elephant sculptures for this summer’s Elmer’s Big Parade, it was an opportunity he simply didn’t want to miss – a chance to support his local hospice and at the same time pay tribute to his wife Zheng, for whom St Luke’s cared for before she passed away. Just recently, Colin has been


busy completing his masterpiece at St Luke’s Herd HQ at Western Approach, giving the public the opportunity to see part of his painting process on the rather unusual ‘canvas’ of a three- dimensional elephant sculpture. Watching him at work and


hearing him speak, it is clear Colin’s creation – which he has called ‘The Beauty of Transcience’ – is a real labour of love for Zheng, whom he met while in China. Her influence


and that of her homeland shine through, as does his great affection for her, as he speaks movingly of their time together before sadly, Zheng, who had cancer, died. Having met later in life while


Colin – who is also an art tutor – was on an internship in China, the two enjoyed a long distance friendship, corresponding as penpals before Colin returned to Zheng and proposed two years later. They were married the very next day in Chengdu, near Tibet. Colin says: “When we met,


Zheng was working as an interpreter and she was also an artist, and we hit it off. After we married and she came to live with me in the UK, she did an art degree at the University of Plymouth, which she so enjoyed – she was a really good painter and I learned so much from her. “We had ten wonderful years


together before she was diagnosed.


Local artist Colin Pethick


They told us she had this very rare form of lung cancer; there was no history of it in her family. “It was towards the end that St


Luke’s became involved, and it was the Crisis team who got her well enough to stay with me at home because it was her wish to die there. The care was just so good all round and I never would have coped without St Luke’s help.” Alongside Colin through


this heart-breaking time was St Luke’s Bereavement Support Worker Andy Searle, providing a listening ear when he needed it most. And it was Andy, knowing Colin’s artistic talent as well as his high opinion of St Luke’s, who brought to his attention the opportunity to submit a design for one of the mammoth mob of elephant sculptures for Elmer’s Big Parade. Colin said: “I just thought, yes,


what a fantastic project! And it’s the least I can do to give something back.


“My Elmer is like a little legacy ‘It is clear


Colin’s creation is a real labour of love’


for Zheng, of all the things she liked – the things that got her going as an artist and the things we celebrated. The theme is life and death, and how you deal with death. It was Andy’s bereavement support that was such a help to me – it made a tremendous difference.” Elmer’s Big Parade will run in Plymouth from 8 July to 16 September and is a partnership between St Luke’s, Wild in Art and Andersen Press, encouraging open and honest conversations about the ‘taboo’ subjects of death, dying and


bereavement that


can help us all, including schoolchildren


who are bereaved and


those who strive to support them. The project will also raise money for St Luke’s – the finale being the auction of the 40 unique elephant sculptures to secure funds to further its compassionate care.


Visit: www.elmerplymouth.com Summer 2019 Chamber Profile 5


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