Nelsonians Dig Deep to Support the Arts

The Suter Art Gallery’s Mid-Winter Spectacular fundraising dinner and auction, held at Hopgoods and Co, has raised $70,600 to put towards growing and maintaining their collection of artworks.

Craig Potton, Chair of The Bishop Suter Trust says that the sold-out event was a special evening for all involved.

“The generosity of the Nelson community never ceases to amaze me. With more than $70,000 raised, it’s a perfect example of what can happen when our community’s most passionate champions dedicate their time and talents and get behind a cause”.

Ben Plumbly of Art + Object, New Zealand’s leading auction house, ensured the success of the live auction, for which some extraordinary items were donated.

Artworks by renowned artists such as Karl Maughan, Michael Dell, Sir Grahame Sydney, Robin Slow, and Joe Sheehan were auctioned off alongside fine wines, designer bags, and one-of-a-kind experience packages.

In between bids, guests dined on a specially designed menu by top chef Kevin Hopgood and his team.

One lucky bidder will get to enjoy another meal by Kevin from the comfort of their own home, as he generously offered his services for a superb evening dining experience as part of the auction.

A fresh-off-the-easel Karl Maughan artwork painted and gifted especially for this event was the star of the show, fetching a final sale price of $35,500.

Suter Director Julie Catchpole added, “We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone involved, whether it was by bidding on a painting, attending the event, or donating something for the auction. It’s thanks to you that this fundraiser was such a huge success”.

All the money raised from this auction will be put toward new acquisitions for the permanent collection of The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū, a lasting legacy for the people of Nelson.