'The Collector' print to support The Artworks, Halifax
Friday 11th December 2020
Quentin has donated a one-of-a-kind drawing to support much-loved community arts organisation The Artworks in Halifax, West Yorkshire, as it has been significantly affected during the pandemic.
The drawing, (pictured above) titled, 'The Collector', depicts a man striding downhill with his dogs and an overflowing knapsack.
The original drawing is set to be auctioned privately, but a limited edition of 25 signed and numbered prints are to be made available to purchase through The Artworks website. The final print will be a prize in a raffle-style competition.
This is the latest partnership between Quentin and the organisation which is known as ‘The Everybody School of Art’ due to its ethos of being open to all, and championing the value of art and creativity in everyday life. Quentin became a Patron of the venue in 2017, followng a highly successful retrospective exhibition of his work there that year.
Commenting on the donation and working with The Artworks, Quentin said: “I draw almost every day of the year and really appreciate the profound effect that it can have on mental health and general wellbeing, particularly during periods of strife. The Artworks aims to connect as many people as possible with the healing powers of art and inspire the next generation of artists. It’s a privilege to be associated with such an inspiring institution and I’m delighted that I’m able to support the organisation to continue its important work during these challenging times.”
Artworks director John Ross is a former student of Quentin’s. He commented: “Like so many organisations in our sector, 2020 has been a very difficult year for our school for all the obvious reasons and our future is looking far from secure. A massive thank you then to Quentin for donating to Artworks this important drawing which will hopefully enable us to raise critical funding in this desperate time.
“We’re excited to be able to end the year on a high by offering this rare opportunity to purchase a unique piece of signed Quentin Blake art just in time for Christmas. A founding principle at Artworks is that art should be accessible to all, irrespective of financial circumstances, which is why we’re particularly happy to be running a raffle-style competition to win a signed print, alongside the sale”
The 25 signed prints of The Collector will go on sale at 9am on 11 December on Artworks website, which is also where you can enter the competition to win a print: www.theartworks.org.uk/thecollector.