Award-winning artist and Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance Artist in Residence, Tim O’Brien, has created a unique artwork celebrating the charity’s lifesaving work.

Tim O’Brien’s artwork is set to feature on LNAA’s Christmas cards for 2027, marking the charity’s first Christmas card collaboration with him. Ahead of this, Tim has returned to LNAA for another special project: a one-of-a-kind painting created especially for the LACCA Sunday Luncheon.

A residency inspired by lifesaving work

As LNAA’s Artist in Residence, Tim has taken time to visit the charity’s headquarters, see the helicopter in real life and meet the people behind each mission, including members of the clinical team. His visits have helped him capture not only the aircraft itself, but also the dedication, teamwork and purpose that sit at the heart of the charity.

During the residency, Tim has also live painted the LNAA helicopter, bringing the aircraft and its story to life through his distinctive artistic style.

A unique painting for LACCA Sunday Luncheon

Tim has painted a bespoke artwork specifically for the LACCA Sunday Luncheon on 11 October. The large oil painting on canvas features the LNAA helicopter hovering to land on Lincoln Common, with the team shown below, creating a powerful tribute to the people and aircraft that make the charity’s emergency response possible.

The charity is proud to be part of this wonderful event and delighted to have such an invaluable piece available to be auctioned in support of LNAA.

The framed painting will be included in the auction lots available to view and bid on from 25 September, with the final live auction taking place at the LACCA Sunday Luncheon on 11 October.

About Tim O’Brien

Tim O’Brien is an award-winning artist, author and tutor from Nottingham, now living in the market town of Bingham, Nottinghamshire. He began his art career more than 40 years ago as an advertising illustrator before moving fully into fine art in the mid-1990s.

Tim paints both plein-air and studio work, often focusing on places, history and transport. His wide-ranging subject matter has included military history, public occasions, rail, maritime and automotive scenes. Over the years, he has worked with both the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, experiences that have seen him fly with the RAF and spend time at sea with the Navy on board aircraft carriers gathering reference material for his paintings.

His work has been exhibited at venues including the Mall Galleries in London and galleries in Nottinghamshire. In 2015, Tim held his first solo exhibition at the Royal Air Force Club in London, which led to a commission for 25 paintings for permanent display in the club’s dining room overlooking Green Park.

Alongside his own practice, Tim also teaches art to clubs, societies and small groups, sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with artists at different stages of their creative journeys.

Tim said, “It has been a pleasure to work alongside LNAA over the last year, as the Art Residency has offered benefits beyond working in my home studio. Such as access to observing the day-to-day activity which has presented fresh perspectives for me as an artist to develop my sketching. As a result, it has inspired me to create artwork with an immediacy, a deeper understanding and respect of the team that operate the famous yellow helicopter. I look forward to continuing my collaboration with LNAA and seeing my artwork evolve.”

To learn more, and bid on the LACCA silent auction, click here.