A Hitchin-born former doctor who swapped medicine for art has returned to her hometown with a fascinating new exhibition exploring the surprising connections between nature and modern healthcare.

Becky Ullah's Hidden Healing exhibition opened at North Hertfordshire Museum on Tuesday 3 November and will run until Sunday 10 January 2027.

The free exhibition brings together a collection of medicinally inspired paintings that reveal how some of the world's most important medical treatments have their origins in the natural world.

Drawing on her 15 years working as a clinical doctor across Hertfordshire, Becky explores the extraordinary stories behind modern Western medicines, including chemotherapy drugs discovered in sea squirts and plants.

Her artwork combines beautiful botanical imagery with hidden anatomical features and microscopic details, illustrating the remarkable connections between plants, science and the human body.

Born in Hitchin, Becky spent 15 years practising medicine before deciding to pursue her passions for horticulture and painting, becoming a full-time artist four years ago.

Since making the career change, she has established herself within the local arts community, securing fellowships with Digswell Arts and completing a residency at The Settlement in Letchworth.

Her work has also been exhibited with the Royal College of Physicians and the Society of Botanical Artists.

Most recently, her medicinally inspired collection was showcased in a solo exhibition at University College Hospital in London.

Now the collection has returned to the town where her journey began.

The exhibition encourages visitors to look beyond familiar medicines and discover the unexpected natural sources behind treatments that have transformed modern healthcare.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet Becky in person on Saturday 21 November, when she will be at the museum between 1pm and 4pm to discuss the inspiration and medical discoveries behind her paintings.

The informal event is free and does not require booking.

Becky will also lead a special Hidden Healing: Paint Your Own Medicinal Bouquet workshop on Thursday 17 December, from 7pm to 9pm.

Participants will learn about the medicinal properties of plants before creating their own botanical artwork using watercolour and ink. The workshop costs £30 per person, with all materials provided.

Hidden Healing is on display in The Arches exhibition space, upstairs in the Terrace Gallery at North Hertfordshire Museum on Brand Street, Hitchin.

Admission is free, with the museum open Tuesday to Saturday from 10.30am to 4.30pm and Sundays from 11am to 3pm.

The exhibition runs until 10 January 2027.

For more information, visit the North Hertfordshire Museum website⁠.