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Leicester nurse and artist creates 7ft bleeding tree

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Part-time art student and full-time nurse Liz Warrington has combined both of her passions to create a 7ft steel tree which bleeds.

The art project is aimed at highlighting the damage caused by radiation from wifi networks, which the 35-year-old De Montfort University undergraduate says kills flora.

Liz, who works at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, designed and built the tree by hanging hospital IV bags, filled with paint, from a welded metal frame as part of her foundation course at De Montfort University.

She said: "I was quite interested in trees and, while doing research for this project, I found a Dutch study that showed the radiation from wifi is actually killing trees. One of the symptoms is that the tree bleeds.

"My tree has a welded steel frame which is then covered in pvc tubing filled with different-coloured paints.

"I got the idea of using blood bags from work. I searched the hospital for expired IV bags which I've incorporated, including their taps to turn the bleeding on and off."

Research in Holland found that trees planted close to wireless routers suffered from damaged bark and dying leaves.

The study, carried out by Wageningen University, took 20 ash trees and exposed them to varying degrees of radiation – similar to that produced by wifi networks.

The results, which were not published in any academic journals, found that bark bled and hardened in the areas closest to the radiation.

A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Executive said there is no evidence that wifi signals are harmful to humans.

She said: "When developing a view on wifi safety we consult the Health Protection Agency (HPA), which advises Government on this issue.

"The HPA's current position is that there is no consistent evidence that exposure to wifi adversely affects the health of the general population."

Liz had previously studied A-level art at school and has returned to education – to DMU – to reignite her artistic passion.

She has spent two-years juggling the course around her day job.

The bleeding tree will form part of her coursework and feature in an exhibition of students' creations being held next week. The Foundation Show has been put together to promote the work produced by the Art and Design (Foundations Studie) BTEC Diploma.

It takes place at the university's Fletcher Building, in Newarke Close, on Friday, May 10, from 5.30pm until 7.30pm.

Liz said: "I just saw the DMU course advertised when I was searching for arts courses.

"I have always been interested in art and the variety of workshops at DMU really appealed.

"It has been particularly difficult to fit my course around my full-time job but I have learned a lot, especially how to go about creating and researching projects.

"Before, I didn't know where to start – how to do research for an art project."

Leicester nurse and artist  creates 7ft  bleeding tree


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