Portraits with Purpose: Continuing Bonds

Portraits with Purpose: Continuing Bonds exhibition

Portraits with Purpose: Continuing Bonds is a collaboration between St Oswald’s Hospice and Artist, Leanne Pearce.

Working with bereaved and pre-bereaved families who have accessed the hospice’s bereavement support and/or other care services, Leanne has created 12 poignant portraits.

The collection celebrates the lives of loved ones, provides a positive, creative focus for grieving or pre-bereaved families, and supports them in their ‘continuing bonds’ process.

We also hope to encourage more open conversations about death, dying and grief while challenging some of the perceptions around ‘hospice care’.

After initially meeting with families in Autumn 2023 – where many helped paint the background of their portrait canvas – Leanne has created the emotive artworks in her home studio in Newcastle.

A public exhibition of the 12 original artworks took place at Newcastle Civic Centre, 10th – 17th May, 2024, during Dying Matters Week. 

After the exhibition, the portraits will be gifted to the families.

Families have been offered support by St Oswald’s Hospice’s Bereavement Team throughout.

About the families…

The families come from a range of backgrounds, genders, religions, ages and sexualities. They are pre-bereaved, recently bereaved and long-term bereaved. Their experiences and stories are all unique and they show us that grief is a “rollercoaster” and “always there”.

The Hospice and Leanne wish to thank the families who took part in this unique and emotional project. They have been so open, honest and generous with their experiences and stories.