The contribution of four NHS workers is being immortalised in portraits created by an island artist.

Beth Louella, an artist and illustrator from outside of Ramsey, is showing her appreciation towards those on the frontline by painting free portraits of four members of NHS staff, two in the island and two in the UK.

Her gifts are part of the #portraitsfornhsheroes, a global project created by Oxford-based artist Tom Croft who put up an Instagram post offering to paint an NHS worker for free.

Beth put up a ’green screen’ post on April 22 offering one free portrait to the first NHS worker to get in touch.

She was contacted within an hour and after being inundated, she decided she would paint two workers based here - a nurse on the Covid ward and a midwife - as well as an A&E nurse in England and a paediatric nurse in Wales.

The two island NHS workers are CATU (Covid Assessment and Treatment Unit) and practice nurse Ciara Kilgallon and midwife Bryony Manning.

She said she is ’pleased to celebrate them visually’ as they are ’both truly amazing’.

’As an artist I love to celebrate people in my art and I appreciate the positive impact that has on others,’ she said.

’To know that my NHS heroes are excited about having their portraits painted and are looking forward to seeing and owning the final pieces in the current situation means a lot - it is also why I have agreed to paint four NHS heroes instead of one!’

She is still working on the pieces and will present them to their new owners when she can while following pandemic guidelines.

Beth, who has worked as an artist and illustrator for nearly 20 years, has in the past painted a mural inspiring hope at homeless shelter Graih and created a number of self-portraits and portraits of others.

She said the current situation means a number of her paid projects have been postponed or cancelled.

She said: ’I am fortunate that I have a home studio.

’I’m used to using technology and working independently.

’Working as a full-time artist and illustrator is generally quite isolated anyway so that is not a huge change and the time created from the lack of paid projects has opened doors for more experimentation and new pieces which is positive.’

You can find Beth Louella Art on Facebook and Instagram or by searching: www.bethlouella.com/