Top artists team up to support CLIC Sargent

Jun 22 2012 Ayrshire Post (main ed)

Top artists team up to support CLIC Sargent

ITS a work of art literally.

For some of the biggest names in the world of art have collaborated to produce a stunning calendar, that is hoped will raise thousands of pounds for charity.

Peter Howson, Graham McKean and Jack Vettriano are among the 12 big talents who have lent their support to the CLIC Sargent initiative the charity which runs Malcolm Sargent House in Prestwick.

And fundraising boss May Gilchrist confessed that the art invasion is, in fact, the brainchild of her husband David.

She explained: It has been a labour of love for six months now, with calls to artists to secure the right to use their images and obtaining sponsorship to complete the project to maximise income for the charity.

Unfortunately, I cant take the credit for the original idea, which came from my husband David who, like me, loves art and the work of these artists in particular.

Each image has been chosen to suit the particular month that it represents.

Peter Howsons Burns represents January, February is Graham McKeans Be my Valentine, March is Helen M Turners Big Sky Firth of Clyde, Avril Patons Wee Willie Winkie is April, May is Pat Krameks Crail and June is Jack Vettrianos Anniversary Waltz.

On the Beach by Lin Pattullo aptly represents July, while August is Frank Colcloughs Greenan Castle, September Joe Hargans A Good Nose, October Ryan Mutters Along the Docklands, November Craig Campbells Glasgow 1954 and December Gerard Burns Winter Song. May hopes that the calendar will follow on the success of Ayrshire photographer Alister Firths Ayrshire scenes calendars, which raised tens of thousands of pounds for the charity.

She said: After a long debate as to which artists to approach we then had to whittle down a huge list to come up with the final 12.

And we are absolutely delighted that every artist we approached got right behind the idea.

And the support for the cause didnt stop there.

For Greg Rankin, 22, of Ayr worked tirelessly free of charge to produce the finished article, after leaving university and setting up his own design company Nomad Creative.

The calendar was launched at a dinner held at the Brig o Doon in Alloway on Tuesday, which was arranged as a huge thank you to all of the volunteers and businesses who helped the charity when thieves stole lead from roof of Malcolm Sargent House in January.

Full coverage of the event will be in next weeks Post.