Art auction for local hospice care in Eastbourne

The auction is being run by Art On A Postcard, an organisation that has raised thousands for charity since its first auction in 2014.

‘The auction we’ve put together for St Wilfrid’s is tailor made,’ says Art on a Postcard founder Gemma Peppé. ‘It’s all about the art, we don’t ask celebrities to take part, so when someone buys artwork in one of our auctions they know we have thoroughly researched and handpicked the artists.’

As well as big names such as Sir Grayson Perry CBE RA Hon FRIBA, Vanessa Jackson RA, Anita Kline, Mali Morris RA and Jake Chapman, a number of pieces with connections to the local area have been selected. There is a framed painting by Mick Rooney RA, who was artist in residence at The Towner when it was at its Manor Gardens site, a piece by Lothar Götz, who painted the outside of the Towner, and a large original painting by Harold Mockford who was a great friend of Mark Peppé, renowned artist and Gemma’s father.

Joining the line-up is prominent British abstract artist Winston Branch, who graduated from the Slade in 1970 and whose work is held in numerous collections including the Tate Britain, the Victoria & Albert Museum, St. Louis Art Museum, the National Trust of St Lucia, and The University of California Berkeley Art Museum; Brighton-based artist Pam Glew, best known for her distinctive paintings on fabric, shown alongside artists like Tracey Emin and Peter Blake; and emerging artist Millicent Straker, whose soft landscapes are informed by sketches and then revisited in her London studio.Many of the artists took the opportunity to incorporate the character of Eastbourne and the local surroundings of the hospice into their work, most notably Sean Worrall, who specifically went to Sussex to paint his signature landscapes; and James Springall, who puts Sussex native Pamela Rooke, ‘The Queen of Punk’, at the centre of his piece. We are also delighted to welcome back AOAP favourites Susie Hamilton, Andrew Torr, Donna Mclean, Alicia Rothman, Peter Jones, Andrew Mockett, and Kate Sherman.

Gemma has an extra special reason for collaborating with St Wilfrid’s Hospice on this project; her father was cared for by the hospice in his final days. She describes the care that St Wilfrid’s provided as amazing. ‘St Wilfrid’s made regular visits in the last month, twice a day to start with and by the end it was four times a day. It meant that he could retain his dignity. Because dying and cancer is messy, there are a lot of things that – being his daughter – he didn’t want me to do. Or that my mother couldn’t do. It just meant that four times a day, really friendly faces would come in and not only care for him but also give us a time to ask questions and be reassured.

‘St Wilfrid’s helped overnight sometimes too, which was amazing. By that point we had moved my father’s bed into his studio and I was working full time by his bedside. I was exhausted, and my mother got exhausted as well. St Wilfrid’s gave us a night sitter for a couple of nights and it just meant we could get a full night’s sleep.’

‘After he died we were all so thankful for everything St Wilfrid’s did for him and our family, we felt so lucky that he had been able to fulfil his wishes and spend his final days at home in the studio that he loved.’

‘I am really pleased to be able to help raise money for St Wilfrid’s through Art On A Postcard so that more people can experience the amazing care that they gave my Dad.’

The auction, sponsored by ‘Light’, the new restaurant at the Towner Gallery, goes live online from 14th September until 3rd October. For more information, a full list of featured artists and details on how to bid go to www.stwhospice.org/artauction