When Masterton artist Harry Watson called on his creative contemporaries to help victims of the Christchurch Earthquake, the result was a work of art.
Sixty-six paintings and other items from 52 artists filled the foyer of Aratoi on Saturday for an action-packed auction with close to 100 bidders and spectators.
The Christchurch
Earthquake Art Auction raised close to $30,000 - half of it from three high-scoring highlights.
Top price went to Dame Robin White's graphic Tui Tui which netted $8200.
With branding ink on woolbale, Dame Robin had produced a striking tapa-like patchwork of patterns and icons - fine art disguised as mass production.
Dame Robin's second piece, Picnic at Pigeon Bush, was sold for $3700, while a late arrival from Brendon Wilkinson attracted a winning bid of $3140.
Birds were a recurring theme, through the auction, with Geoff Dixon providing two pieces, male and female, entitled "self-portrait as a red-cheeked parrot, with eggs".
The "self-portrait" part of the title was a bit mystifying, but the eggs were clear enough.
On a multilayered work they had been painted last, fried and slapped apparently randomly on top.
Host Harry Watson had donated digital prints Kaka Cola and Ka Pai. The latter had clear sing-a-song-of-sixpence overtones, with the words Ka Pai Tui Pie, and a black-headed bird peeking out from a pie-crust.
Wairarapa contributors included Pat White, Rhondda Greig and Bronwyn Reid, and the media ranged from paintings and prints to jewellery, ceramic, porcelain, earthenware and cotton dolls.
Watson, who had contacted art galleries to round up as many contributors as he could, said he was "delighted, delighted" with the result.
The auction was led by Hugo Watson, assisted by Aratoi staff, with catering from the Friends of Aratoi.
All money went to the Red Cross Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.
