Dozens of St Michael’s Hospice supporters are now the proud owners of beautiful art after an annual auction reached an exciting finale.
When the hammer closed on the final Postcards from Life lot, more than £7,800 had been raised for the Bartestree-based Hospice.
This year’s event saw the widest array of art in Postcards history, with well over 250 pieces submitted from some of the finest artists around.
The final few hours of the fortnight-long auction saw a flurry of bids with the top lot – a beautiful robin by Lin Gardner – fetching £155.
“Painting brings me joy as does helping others; to combine the two and also discover the amount raised on my little robin has really brought the biggest smile,” said Lin.
Artists were invited to submit postcard-sized work with a free choice of subject matter. In total, 1,936 bids were cast, with bidders ranging from Herefordshire-based supporters to those as far away as the United States.
Auctioneers Brightwells supported the bidding site and reported more than 10,500 views of the listing page.
“This year in particular, given all the pressures on people’s finances, we are so grateful to those who bid during Postcards from Life,” said event organiser, Gaynor Warren. “We hope the successful bidders will enjoy the art which is sure to brighten any room. Over the years, this auction has often been referred to as ‘the small art with a big heart’, which is fitting as the proceeds go straight towards our patient care. Thank you so much to everyone who bid.”
The final figure includes generous sponsorship by Framing Workshop in Hereford. For the first time there was also a Postcards Trail at four venues across Hereford city centre where would-be bidders could glimpse the artwork in person.
To view the forthcoming St Michael’s Hospice events in the run-up to Christmas, click here https://www.st-michaels-hospice.org.uk/events/