COME TO THE ART SALE – A CREATIVE WAY TO HELP HAITI’S EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
Take a break from the General Election and come along coming to an art sale on the evening of Polling Day when works by top local artists will be on sale to raise money for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
The event in the David Bawtree Building on Thursday May 6 at 7.30pm is being organised by PGS visual design/art technician Mr Nick Llewellyn Thomas - his eldest son Oisin (8) lives with his mother in the neighbouring Turks and Caicos Islands.
‘The Turks and Caicos have a huge Haitian population. Most of Oisin’s friends are Haitian. His best pal Francis (pictured with Oisin) lost so many relatives in the disaster,’ said Mr Llewellyn Thomas.
‘I wanted to do something to help. As a successful but financially struggling artist, I felt the best way ahead would be a sale of work donated by local artists.
‘The earthquake struck in January but we couldn’t stage a fundraising event until now because the school diary is so busy. There is still a great need for aid in Haiti – the damage and distress hasn’t gone away and more money is desperately required to rebuild the country and help its people face the future.’
The works are to be displayed on the walls outside the dining hall ahead of the sale, along with the cost of each one, which will considerably less than gallery prices.
Contributors include the school’s current artist-in-residence, Karl Rudziak, a 2009 BP Portrait Awards finalist who has donated a portrait; previous artists-in-residence Sally Taylor and Portsmouth-based Simon Whitcomb, who have given a drawing and a painting of South Parade Pier respectively; Pete Codling, public artist and creator of the school’s library sculpture, who has gifted a charcoal drawing; marine artist Chris Wood; abstract painter Teresa Douvani and Duncan Shepherd, an automotive photographer who has given a photo of vintage racing car
Art staff who have contributed work include Head of Art Mr Garry Whitehead, a contemporary painter, Mr Simon Willcocks, who specialises in abstract landscapes, Miss Ali Dyer who has donated a large charcoal drawing and abstract painter Mr Nick Llewellyn Thomas who has given two works.
As you would expect at a prestigious art sale, there will be canapés and wine and a tinkling jazz piano, played by PGS music department gap year student Will Drackett, a Cathedral organ scholar who is off to Birmingham Conservatoire to study organ, harpsichord and singing next year.
The next Art Department event in the school calendar is on Monday 12th July from 6.30pm to 9pm when the invitational Summer Art Show moves to The Kennels, an exclusive private members club at Goodwood.
Work by pupils from Years 7 to 13 will be on show as well as Karl Rudziak’s portrait of school Marshal Tony Hicks. Karl’s painting of Pompey’s most famous fan – John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood – was one of around 50 pictures chosen from almost 2,000 for last year’s BP Portrait Awards at The National Portrait Gallery.
Most of the works from the summer exhibition will also be on display in the David Bawtree Building from Wednesday 14 to Friday 16 July.
