Stars on Canvas sell-off: Can stars create good art? Let's canvas opinions
Celebrities join professional artists to auction original works for charity
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Your support makes all the difference.Among the treasures up for grabs are a genuine Hart original, a rare piece from Hurt and a one-off sketch from Sandé. A special auction this week gathers together artwork by celebrities to raise money for a charity helping young people with life-threatening diseases.
Each was given a blank canvas. The singer Emeli Sandé did a picture of her "African moonlight dreams", while Robbie Williams wrote some of his lyrics to "Angels". Not quite Matisse, but big bids are still hoped for comic actress Miranda Hart's cut-out floral design, as well as England manager Roy Hodgson's woefully unimaginative signed England crest. Former footballer Dennis Bergkamp submitted a picture of himself celebrating a goal, Gordon Banks a cartoon of him saving one.
The famous have joined artists – including Turner Prize-winner Richard Long, Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler and cartoonist Kipper Williams – in the fourth Stars on Canvas sell-off. They will be sold in eBay auctions from Thursday with the proceeds going to the Willow Foundation, set up by former Arsenal goalkeeper and sports presenter Bob Wilson and his wife Megs as a legacy to their daughter Anna after she died, aged 31.
The foundation organises "special days" for those with conditions such as cancer, motor neurone disease and cystic fibrosis. The past three sales have raised more than £150,000. Bids start at 99p, but an original Mo Farah had attracted offers in excess of £2,000. This year, Strictly Come Dancing contestant Pixie Lott offers a birthday-card style burst of pink hearts and stars; the actor David Morrissey submitted a rather good bright bold target symbol and Jane Asher came up with a hypnotic 1960s spiral motif.
Bob Wilson said: "Together, our artists, illustrators, actors, singers and photographers create the most fantastic collection of original artworks and we are extremely grateful for every contribution."
The artworks will go on public display from 20-23 November at the Hub in Mayfair, London. The collection can also be viewed on starsoncanvas.org.uk.
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