Big annual Art Event fund-raiser

September 14, 2005

Big annual Art Event fund-raiser expected to earn thousands of dollars for Christchurch Art Gallery

Some of New Zealand’s leading artists will be offering their paintings for minimal amounts in the Christchurch’s big annual Art Event on Friday night.

Hundreds of people are expected to flock to the annual Art Event run by the Friends of the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu.

Established and emerging artists offering their paintings include Judy Darragh, John Reynolds, Kura te Waru Rewiri(Auckland), Paul Deans, Linda James, Hannah Kidd, Den Venrooy (Christchurch) Catherine Manchester, John Walsh (Wellington).

The Art Event is a silent auction and all works are valued at $600 and ballots are drawn on each lot. Nearly 30 artists have provided paintings especially for the event which raises funds for the gallery.

Five special additional works by Michael Dell, Donna Demente, Don Peebles and Katie Thomas are auctioned at the end of the night.

Art Event organiser Marianne Hargreaves said the event was one of the biggest art nights in Christchurch of the year.

``It’s great that artists provide their works for just $600 each when they may become extremely valuable in future. This is the biggest fund-raising event for the gallery of the year.

Artists who have provided works for the fixed-price auction include Victoria Bell, Claire Benyon, Ali Bramwell, Roger Boyce, Freda Brierley, Judy Darragh, Paul Deans, Cameron Foggo, Dorothy Helyer, Linda James, Blair Kennedy, Hannah Kidd, Youngae Kim, Catherine Manchester, Anton Moggeridge, Kristen Peren, John Reynolds, Peter Siddell, Kura te Waru Rewiri, Bianca van Rangelrooy, Emma Velde, Dean Venrooy and John Walsh.

The Friends of the Gallery have previously raised $80,000 towards the gallery’s Oriel Window, which was unveiled last year.

The Christchurch Art Gallery was opened in 2003 and had over 900,000 visitors in its first two years’ of operation. The gallery is the largest in the South Island, with one of New Zealand’s foremost public art collections of over 5500 items including paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, glass, and photography.

ENDS

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