Artist unveils huge grass painting saying 'thank you' to NHS heroes | London Evening Standard

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An artist has created a huge tribute to the heroes of the NHS in a West Yorkshire field.

Jamie Wardley created the piece of art ahead of Thursday's "Clap for Carers" tribute to NHS staff and other key workers dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

Drone footage shows the 328ft appreciation artwork spray painted on a field in Mytholmroyd, featuring the NHS logo filled with hearts and the words: "Thank you."

Mr Wardley said the painting, which was created while sticking to social distancing rules on a private field on the site of his studio, was “to celebrate and thank all the NHS staff working on the frontline to fight the coronavirus pandemic”.

Mr Wardley unveiled the artwork to coincide with Thursday's Clap for CarersPA

Mr Wardley, the artistic director and founder of the Hebden Bridge-based Sand In Your Eye studios, said: “Me and my wife were having a chat and we just thought it would be really nice to do a thank you message.

“Of course, we’ve got all the isolation considerations, so we figured that a painting in the field where we work would be ideal.”

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He said: “It took a long time. We’d done the outline and me and my wife were saying it doesn’t feel right, it feels a bit too much like a graphic. So she had the idea of putting the hearts in it.

“So that’s a lot of hearts to make. I don’t know how many there are. There must be thousands of hearts. But it seemed really fitting.”

The huge tribute to the NHS is 328ft longPA

Mr Wardley, whose sister-in-law is an ICU nurse, said he wanted the painting to coordinate with the Thursday evening Clap For Carers event.

He said: “I think everyone is affected by this because we’ve all got loved ones that are vulnerable and I think it’s a really beautiful thing that everyone’s pulling together to protect the vulnerable in society.

“Every Thursday we’re hanging out of our window clapping.

“That’s an amazing thing that everyone is isolated but at that moment everyone comes together. So clapping on a Thursday is a very special moment.”​