Rooted in Care – A Site-Specific Artwork Commission for University Hospital Limerick - 2025
Irish artist, Tracy Sweeney’s ‘Bog Cotton’ watercolour is printed onto a washable wall surface of the NICU at Limerick Maternity Hospital. Historically, bog-cotton was used in Ireland for padding mattresses, and keeping babies undergarments dry.
Art That Nurtures: Creating Calm and Connection in the NICU
“Colour is the language of light, it adorns with beauty. Light alters everything it touches and through colour dresses nature to befriend, inspire and shelter us”
In 2024, Tracy Sweeney was commissioned to create a permanent art installation for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at University Hospital Limerick. Titled Rooted in Care, this project responded to a uniquely sensitive and intimate clinical space—designed to support premature babies and their families through their earliest and often most fragile days.
The goal was to help transform the newly refurbished NICU into a warm, nurturing environment—one that could support moments of bonding, feeding, and quiet reflection, while also offering comfort to the staff caring for these newborns.
‘Woodbine’ watercolour by Tracy Sweeney. Sweeney’s ‘Woodbine’ flowers are printed onto a washable wall-surface on the corridor walls of the NICU at Limerick Maternity Hospital. Historically in Ireland woodbine and red-clover were used in treatments for childhood illnesses such as jaundice.
From the Burren to the Crib – A Story of Strength and Gentleness
At the heart of Rooted in Care is a series of 15 original watercolour paintings, each inspired initially by the delicate flora of the Burren, a landscape where tiny, resilient plants flourish in harsh and exposed conditions. These plants became powerful metaphors for the lives being protected and nurtured inside the NICU.
From honeysuckle in the reception area—symbolising growth through support—to milkwort in the lactation room, each plant was also selected for its medicinal associations and symbolic meaning. The work communicates a deep sense of place, resilience, and healing, mirroring the journey of premature babies and the quiet strength of their families.
Ireland’s ‘self-heal’ plant was historically said to have anti-allergenic constituents. The medicinal plant was painted in water colour, and printed on a suitable vinyl for the NICU wards at Limerick Maternity Hospital, Ireland.
A Sensitive Approach to Materials and Space
Though best known for her work in oils and mixed media, Tracy chose watercolour for this project due to its fluidity and association with life and birth. The paintings feature muted palettes of lilac, mint, pale blue, and soft pink, applied with delicate brushstrokes and fine details that evoke dispersal, germination, and quiet growth.
Each original painting was digitally scanned at high resolution and then printed onto a textured, hygienic wall vinyl to meet infection control standards—showing how artistic integrity and medical practicality can coexist.
Colour intensity was also carefully considered: bolder hues were used in public areas, while desaturated tones were chosen for critical care rooms to create a calm, low-arousal atmosphere.
Ivy leaves and berries painted by Tracy Sweeney for the walls of the SCBU at Limerick Maternity Hospital. Historically the ivy leaves were used to treat whooping cough and throat ailments.
A Collaborative Journey
Throughout the project, Tracy worked closely with clinical staff, architects, and curators to ensure the artwork resonated with the people who would experience it daily. She made multiple visits to the hospital to engage with the NICU team, listening to their insights and adapting the work to meet their needs.
The result is a body of work that not only responds to a brief but honours a profound moment in life: the earliest days of a new child’s journey.
A watercolour of an ‘Early Purple Orchid’ was created for the walls of the NICU wards at Limerick University Hospital by artist Tracy Sweeney.
Rooted in Practice – A New Chapter in Public Art
Rooted in Care reflects Tracy’s expanding practice in public art, bringing her layered, place-based visual language into environments of care. While distinct from her studio-based work, the project draws on the same deep connection to landscape, texture, symbolism and emotional resonance.
This project is part of the Per Cent for Art Scheme and now forms a permanent part of the University Hospital Limerick’s NICU.
Project Credits
Commissioned by: University Hospital Limerick under the Per Cent for Art Scheme
Curated by: Aoife Ruane, Highlanes Gallery
Architects: dk Architects
Lead Consultant: Prof. Roy Philip, Consultant Neonatologist
Art by: Tracy Sweeney
For more information about this project or upcoming commissions:
📩 sweeney.fine.art@gmail.com