Record-breaking university art auction

Ryan Barrett with Great Pottery Throw Down judge Kate Malone (Image: Archant)

Auctioneer James Neal from Neals of Woodbridge sold the entire collection of over 120 works in a wonderfully entertaining way to a packed auction room, at the unversity’s Waterfront building.

The audience had a great time as James used his tremendous wit to introduce and cajole bidders into opening their wallets.

As to be expected Tory Lawrence’s Butterfly painting was the biggest winning nature painting.

Ron Sims’ three wonderful geometric abstract works, donated by Ron’s widow Wendy, were taken to the hearts of all who saw them, even if many couldn’t quite work out the ‘Multi-storey Car Park Bird’.

By Wendy Brooke-Smith (university Fine Art auction) (Image: Archant)

Other great abstract works in the auction included Fabiana di Mascio’s dripped wax image, and Angela Dawn Wright’s wall hung sculptures.

There were many amazing print works too from Norman Ackroyd RA OBE, Mary Webb who’s work is in the Fitzwilliam Museum to Mandy Schlarb and Sue Molineux of Gainsborough house.

There was even a print from Jason Hicklin who was the winner of the Printfest Printer of the Year Award (2017) and another from the YBA Billy Childish.

There were conceptual pieces from Alison Carlier (Jerwood Drawing Prize winner) and Ryan Gander CBE who apologised for not being able to appear at the event as he was overseeing his three concurrent exhibitions in Seoul, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

The winner of the BBC’s ‘The Great Pottery Throwdown’ Ryan Barrett (a student of Suffolk College) also apologised for not being there as he was modelling in New York, although the artwork that he had donated, created quite a buzz in the auction room and the bidding for it was ferocious.

Organisers Jamie Limond and Trudy Read praised those who had supported the annual event, this time.

”We’d like to thank all of the artist who chose to donate their art to the auction from working artists to the students (contributions from the departments of Fine Art, Interior Architect & Design and English) we’re all so incredibly generous. The collection of works was presented by the students in a pop up exhibition in an amazingly professional manner.

“The auction event was supported by Gin Punch of Hadleigh we like to give special thanks too Neil Farrow and his team,”