Wellington Neonatal Intensive Care nurse Simon Randell is also rather handy when it comes to art. Fittingly, he has generously donated a piece for The Little Miracles Trust’s Tiny Art awareness and fundraiing campaign that ends on 17 November (World Prematurity Day). Some details of the involvement are covered below and also see this PDF of the Dominion Post article covering neonatal nursing, the NICU and Tiny Art.
With his work in the NICU he has seen first hand how The Little Miracles Trust supports families. He says ” . . .I have a great appreciation of the work done by The Little Miracles Trust to help support parents and families of NICU infants. The role the Trust has is integral to how the neonatal unit works – providing comfortable chairs to support skin-to-skin cuddles most recently, and generally just making resources available to neonatal intensive care units so that parents, families and the neonatal staff are able to provide what matters right at that moment – comfort, safety and support in a really trying time.”
Simons piece is called ‘Kowahi’ and is described as: 
A celebration of the kōwhai-not by way of the chartreuse yellow of its temporary flower but by three examples of its evergreen leaf, often overlooked but immediately recognisable. Alone the many small leaflets may seem unimportant, but all are integral to the shape of the larger leaf and to the tree itself, and each is of incomparable value even while being small and fragile, and so easily lost on the wind.
This beautiful piece is being auctioned on Trade Me, closing on 17 November (World Prematurity Day). View the auction here.
When asked about the Tiny Art campaign, Simon stated “The Tiny Art campaign is an excellent way for me to use my creativity to give back to The Little Miracles Trust and the place I work. In a broader way it’s a really positive way for artists and creators to get involved in giving support to those experiencing the trials and stresses that go hand-in-hand with having their baby, grandchild, brother, sister, niece or nephew staying in hospital after they’re born.”
To view all of the Tiny Art pieces that will be auctioned on 17 November (World Prematurity Day) click here.