Dan Peterson, Reportage Illustrator and War Artist

Reportage Illustrator and War Artist, Dan Peterson worked closely with Cardiff and Vale Arts for Health and Wellbeing team during the pandemic to help document Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s response to Covid-19. Dan captured scenes at the Dragon’s Heart Hospital – the temporary surge hospital built in the grounds of the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Dan, who went to Helmand province in Afghanistan as the official war artist to 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, The Welsh Cavalry, said: “It occurred to me that this is such a momentous occasion – history in the making – that it needed to be recorded.”

During his time at the Dragon’s Heart Hospital, Dan sketched and photographed the new building and its staff at work, recording a complex and emotional time in history.

An exhibition of these original works formed part of the ‘With Thanks’ Exhibition at the Hearth Gallery at University Hospital Llandough and now are on permanent display at Woodland House.

Dan sold prints of the artworks he created at Dragon’s Heart Hospital, through his website with 50% of all the profits going to the Cardiff and Vale Arts for Health and Wellbeing fund, to support further arts initiatives.

Simone Joslyn, Head of Arts and Cardiff and Vale Health Charity said:

“We are extremely proud of the great relationship we’ve built with Dan over the past year. This has given us the opportunity to work with him further to create another original art work depicting the new Lakeside Wing Surge Hospital at the University Hospital of Wales site. I’d like to thank Dan for his support, not only with poignant and beautiful artwork but for his fundraising for the arts fund too – we are really grateful.”

Prints of this new work are available to buy with all profits going into the Arts for Health and Wellbeing fund, enabling us to continue improving lives of our patients and staff through Art.