Hospice to benefit from art auction

Richard Cranenburgh says this year's North Haven Hospice Charity Auction exhibition is shaping up to be the strongest yet. Photo / John Stone

Art and philanthropy are age-old partners - artists need patrons.

But at an annual auction in Whangarei it's the artists who are the givers and a local charity that benefits.

The North Haven Hospice Art Auction sees local artists donating their own works, with all proceeds going to the hospice.

The third annual event of its kind, with 28 artists taking part, has been organised by Richard Cranenburgh and his partner Shari Pickering. Mr Cranenburgh said he is always impressed at the standard and range of the donated work as well as the generosity of the artists.

The couple hopes this year's proceeds will hit $15,000. The first event raised $8000 and the second $10,500.

This year a limited edition, 150 copy catalogue of the works, with artist profiles, is on sale for $15. One copy, containing the signatures of every artist, will be auctioned. Also for the first time, one of the works will be given a "people's choice" award.

Each year the auction works represent a wide cross section of the locally produced art.

"I'll go around to places, research what the artists are doing, where they are. I get a picture in my mind of what I'd like the exhibition to look like," Mr Cranenburgh said.

"When the work comes in you stretch it a bit this way and that. That's art, it's people pushing the boundaries."

The auction is also about the buyers.

"People don't want to be force-fed art but I think this is an easy, mutually beneficial way to widen the audience and for the community to work together," Ms Pickering said. Mr Cranenburgh and Ms Pickering believe the arts - as a sector in Whangarei - can't survive without business support.

The couple are grateful to the sponsors whose backing enables every cent from the auction to go to the hospice.

• The works are exhibited at the Old Library in Whangarei, between 10am and 4pm daily, with the auction next Thursday, the doors open at 5pm and bidding starting at 6pm.