Cady Stone, Expert by Experience and member of CNWL's Patient Involvement Forum shares ‘A lifetime of works’

Cady Stone, an Expert by Experience and member of CNWL’s patient involvement forum, attended the Trust’s headquarters last week to showcase his latest artwork ‘You painted your nails’.

The piece, now on display in Trust headquarters, is inspired by the television programme ‘Rising Damp’ which was broadcast in the 1970s.

The artwork was unveiled by Helen Willetts, Chief Nurse (pictured together left with Cady)

About the painting, Cady said

“I love Rising Damp; it makes me laugh so much. This painting is inspired by a scene where one of the characters asks ‘what’s different about me?’ and it makes me laugh because they are referring to an engagement ring and well you can see what happens instead; they comment on their lovely painted nails instead.”

It’s this sense of humour and playfulness that inspired the piece.

Cady continues

“You can interpret the piece in whatever way you like; it means different things to different people and that’s what I love about art. It’s painted in a retro style to reflect the time the show was on air. To some it looks like nails but it also looks like tablets; it’s open to opinion.”

Cady was set to study film production at university when his mental health difficulties began. He had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and through his experience of mental health services he now uses his insight, creativity and ideas to help improve services. Cady has supported quality improvement work including projects around hand hygiene and patient safety and was a runner up in last year’s therapy awards for a green sustainable innovation project.  Cady is passionate about the power of patient and carer involvement and how this can benefit individuals as well as services.  

Cady spends a lot of time in the outdoors as well as working on his art. He’s produced over 30 paintings and this body of work is now on display at the Cavendish Conference Centre. Anyone can visit the artwork for free during the next year.

The Trust has featured Cady’s work before in its arts and wellbeing gallery  including this piece shared during the height of the pandemic A safe space :: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (cnwl.nhs.uk)

To view all Cady’s work visit the Hallam Conference Centre at 44 Hallam Street, London W1W 6JJ.