Artist championed by William Hague set to be at centre of bidding frenzy

William Hague may have championed lost causes when he was leader of the Conservative Party. But for Mackenzie Thorpe, the quirky northern artist who combines the humorous caricatures of Beryl Cook with the industrial landscapes of L S Lowry, Mr Hague's endorsement was a passport to fame. He chose the artist to illustrate his official Christmas card, thrusting him into the national spotlight.

Frenzied activity is anticipated at the opening today of an exhibition featuring Thorpe's work. Last time it was shown he sold £1m worth of paintings within 20 minutes of the exhibition opening.

The Middlesbrough-born artist has compiled an exhibition of more than 50 paintings that explore the importance of football, particularly in the working-class communities of northern England.

One of Thorpe's non-artistic claims to fame is that he scored against the North Korean World Cup side in 1966 during a kick-about with local lads in Middlesbrough, where the team was based. He said: "Whatever your background, the magic of football goes far beyond the pitch. I invite you to remember the moments when the game has had a lasting effect on your life, of how it has brought friends together, united whole communities, even countries.''

The exhibition, The Game of Life, is being staged by the Halcyon Gallery in Mayfair, London, and will run from today until 14 June. An auction of the paintings will take place on 15 June, in support of The Gentlemen's Night Out charity, with some of the money going to support the organisation's work with the Special Olympics.

Thorpe, who is the son of a labourer and an auxiliary nurse, is dyslexic but found confidence as a child in drawing and painting. He left school at 15 without any qualifications but after a series of unskilled jobs he gained a place at Middlesbrough College of Art.

Thorpe's works have acquired cult status and Bill Wyman and Anthea Turner are among the collectors of his paintings. The artist set up a studio in Richmond in North Yorkshire but in 2001 left Britain for America, where his style has become increasingly popular.