I am one of six artists-in-residence at Caritas Christi, the Palliative Care arm of St Vincent's Hospital, since May this year. In return for having a year long studio at Caritas the artists donate a work to the Hospital's art collection. The various art programs and the art collection are part of what is known as the "Mission of St Vincent" - also referred to as the "Mission to the Heart". In response to this idea I wanted to create a 'Heart Garden' as my donated art work and began work a few months ago. When I shared this idea with the Hospital's art curator Monique Silk, she suggested it might be appropriate for the work to be installed in the newly opened St Vincent's Cardiac Centre. The work will be framed in the New Year and installed on permanent display at the 'Heart Centre', in one of the fully restored Art Deco buildings on Victoria Parade in Fitzroy. The work is also something I've wanted to make since my exhibition, Sanctuary at Heide MOMA, in response to Sunday Reed's 'heart garden'. Now, the circle is complete - a human heart motif has become a garden filled with the exquisite hand-work of many anonymous makers and also some belonging to family members of friends and acquaintances - I thank them all for their contributions!