Fourteen artists from or with connections to Sussex have created custom artworks to be auctioned off in a bid to support Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, which has lost 46% of its income this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and is in need of urgent funds to keep going.
The artists participating in the Trees of Life project include Morag Myerscroft, Gary Goodman and Bob and Roberta Smith. The artists have painted flat packed, wooden trees, created by Sussex artist and project initiator Emma Carlow, who said: “My idea for a flat pack Tree of Life came about during lockdown when I saw a ceramic tree by the Mexican ceramicist Heron Martinez Mandosa in the online collection at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. Not being able to afford an original, I decided to create a flat-pack version out of laser-cut plywood. I began to imagine the tree painted by my favourite artists, and realised it was a great opportunity to raise money for my local museum.”
Steph Fuller, Director of Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, added: “I was thrilled when Emma contacted me with her idea for fundraising for the museum. It was really heartwarming to realise that our local community not only love the museum but are willing to put in a huge effort to help us when times are tough.”
The auction will run until Sunday, October 18 and the general public are encouraged to bid to be in with a chance of owning one of the artworks, whilst helping support Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft.
To make a bid, click here
The trees will be on view at Meiklejohn Gallery, 1 Malling Street, Lewes BN7 2RA on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 11 am – 5 pm until the auction ends.
Find the project on social media with the hashtag #TreesForDitchling