Nelson's Art Scene Flourishes: The Suter's Mid-Winter Spectacular Raises $52,000

Art, community, and generosity were all on show at The Suter Art Gallery’s Mid-Winter Spectacular annual fundraising dinner and auction, held at Hopgood’s and Co. restaurant on Friday 21 July. The event raised an incredible $52,000, which will go towards the preservation and expansion of The Suter's collection of artworks.

Auction in progress at Hopgood’s

Guests were welcomed with warm smiles and a refreshing cocktail, setting the tone for an evening of fun and fundraising, with artworks donated by renowned artists such as Euan Macleod, Ewan McDougall, John Gully, Mandy Gargiulo, Juliana Trolove, Georgina Hoby-Scutt, Kevin Judd, and Grant Palliser going under the hammer along with a range of incredible one-off experiences.

New Chair of The Bishop Suter Trust, Steve Green, thanked the extraordinary donors, sponsors, bidders, supporters, and staff members who played instrumental roles in making this event so successful. "This event truly embodies the spirit of art and culture. We are immensely proud of what we've achieved together, and these donations will have a lasting impact on our gallery's growth,” he said.

A particular highlight of the auction was the unexpected yet invaluable assistance of Doug McKee from Bayleys Nelson, who stepped in as the auctioneer at the last minute when the original auctioneer, Ben Plumbly of Auckland’s Art+Object auction house, encountered travel disruptions. The spirited bidding and enthusiasm from the community were evident during the auction, especially for Ewan McDougall's unique and playful artwork titled "Happy As" and a trio of paintings by Ewan Macleod, which fetched impressive amounts.

Beyond the art, Chef Kevin Hopgood and his talented team at Hopgood’s delighted guests with a wonderful culinary experience, adding a flavourful touch to the evening. The fundraiser paid tribute to the memory of Sari Hodgson, a former Chair of The Suter, who was instrumental in organising The Suter’s WineArt Degustation Dinners and auctions, the precursors to the night’s event.

Julie Catchpole, the Director of The Suter Art Gallery, expressed her delight with the outcome, saying, "The generous support of this community is astounding, I want to acknowledge all those who donated the auction items and bid on them with such verve - ensuring that The Suter’s collection is truly a community asset, now and into the future.

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