As you walk through the corridors of Prince of Wales Hospital, you may notice something new—bursts of ocean blues, sandy hues, and the soft shimmer of Sydney’s coast captured in paint and pastel. These are the works of Amanda Woodard, now on display as part of our Art Space exhibition program.
Amanda is more than just an artist. She’s a storyteller of the sea—an observer of light, movement, and memory who turns everyday coastal walks into evocative, colourful compositions. Her art, now gracing the hospital’s public spaces, is not only a visual escape but a part of the hospital’s mission to support healing through creativity.
“I regularly walk to Bondi, Bronte, Tamarama, Clovelly and other harbour beaches to sketch in the open air,” Amanda explains. “Then I take those impressions home and build them into larger works. There’s a kind of peace that comes from being by the ocean—and that’s the feeling I try to bring into my paintings.”
Originally from London, Amanda moved to Sydney in 2006 and now lives in Bondi. Her background in art history and journalism, including time as an art critic for Australian Art Collector magazine, has shaped both her eye and her practice. With every brushstroke, she draws from years of study, gallery visits across Europe and the US, and a deep appreciation for the emotional power of art.
Now a full-time artist, Amanda works with a variety of media—from acrylics on canvas to delicate pastels and mixed media that blur the line between realism and abstraction. Her work captures not only the beauty of Sydney’s coastal landscape but also the feeling of stillness and space that many patients and hospital visitors long for in the midst of illness or stress.
Amanda’s exhibition is part of The Art Space—a community engagement initiative by the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation that invites artists to exhibit and sell their work while supporting the hospital’s greatest needs. Research shows that art in hospitals can significantly reduce anxiety, support emotional wellbeing, and even decrease perceptions of pain. Amanda’s work offers just that—a visual breath of fresh air in a clinical environment.
Visitors and patients alike are invited to experience Amanda’s exhibition in person—and if inspired, purchase a piece to support both the artist and the ongoing work of the Foundation.
“I hope my paintings can bring a little calm, or even a moment of joy, to someone’s day,” Amanda says.
And in the quiet moments between appointments, treatments or visiting hours, they just might.
What is the Art Space?
The Art Space is a Community Engagement program created by the Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation (POWHF). The Art Space provides artists throughout NSW a unique opportunity to exhibit and sell their works within the Prince of Wales Hospital (POWH), as well as fundraise for the Hospital’s area of greatest need.
Hospitals around the world recognise the important role art plays as a healing tool. In a sometimes-stressful environment, artwork can benefit patients by aiding in their physical, mental and emotional recovery, relieving anxiety and decreasing their perception of pain.
Are you an artist looking to showcase and sell your work while supporting a great cause? We’d love to hear from you!
Call us on 1800 959 593
Email: info@powhf.org.au
