The art world mourns the passing of Alfreda McHale, who enjoyed an extraordinary second act as a professional artist after first establishing herself as an NHS nurse and midwife. McHale died at age 76, leaving behind a legacy of innovative installations that challenged conventional boundaries between domestic life and fine art.
From Healthcare to Art School
McHale's journey to artistic recognition was anything but conventional. Born and raised in east London as one of eight siblings, she initially followed a healthcare path. Her father Daniel Goodrich served as headteacher at a local Catholic primary school, while her Irish mother Rose worked as a state registered nurse.
After leaving St Paul's Catholic secondary school at 16, McHale trained as a dental nurse before moving to Leamington Spa in 1971. There she retrained as a midwife, practicing for an impressive 20 years in the profession. It was during this period that she delivered the author's first son at Warneford hospital in 1975, an experience that forged a lasting friendship.
Artistic Transformation and Domestic Themes
In 1985, McHale embarked on a dramatic career shift, pursuing formal art education at the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design. She earned a first class honours BA followed by an MA in fine art, launching her into a successful artistic career that would see her participate in more than 30 exhibitions.
Her work consistently explored domestic themes through large-scale installations. Seeking Pearls, first exhibited in 2008 at the NEC Birmingham as part of the Knitting & Stitching Show, featured kitchen shelves containing glass jars filled with brilliantly shiny buttons. Other works celebrated her mother's knitting skills through exhibitions with titles like Knitting Matters and Have You Seen My Knitting? shown at a Leamington Spa school and other venues.
Outdoor Installations and Personal Life
McHale's artistic vision extended beyond gallery walls to outdoor spaces. At the National Trust's Charlecote Park in Warwickshire, she created Trolley, a sculpture composed of tea trolleys collected as "found objects" from charity and recycling shops over twelve months. Another Charlecote installation, Runcible, featured metal cutlery seemingly blooming in flowerbeds, creating an unexpected yet striking addition to the gardens.
Her artistic philosophy blurred the lines between domestic and artistic spheres in her personal life as well. The terrace house she shared with husband and fellow artist Pat McHale, whom she married in 1986, reflected this approach—visitors encountered magnificent artworks alongside the aroma of home baking and hand-embroidered bed linen. Their blended family included Alfreda's three sons from her first marriage to Simon Britton and Pat's two children.
Despite being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in later years, McHale continued to travel across Europe with Pat to view works by classical artists they admired. The couple shared a deep connection to Ireland, maintaining a holiday home in County Galway where they planned to retire, and both were devoted to their Roman Catholic faith.
Alfreda McHale is survived by her husband Pat, her three sons Daniel, Henry and William, stepchildren Michelle and Anthony, and nine grandchildren and step-grandchildren.
