Artist Donates Work to Kidscan

Kidscan’s Helen Hawley Hughes is our Charity Cashier in charge of applying for funds from trusts and foundations. Helen has also sought out individuals who are willing to support our charity, by donating some of their products or work for us to auction and so raise funds. 

One such individual is artist Geoffrey Key, a world-renowned contemporary painter, who was born, bred and trained in Manchester. With a career spanning six decades his work is held in private and public collections, including at The Victoria and Albert Museum, The National Art Library, Manchester Art Gallery and Salford Museum & Art Gallery – just across the road from our Kidscan office and laboratories.  

After meeting Helen and hearing about Kidscan’s work funding vital research into childhood cancer, Geoffrey kindly offered to donate a copy of his latest creation, an ‘Isolated Heads Book’.  In it, Geoffrey documents his response to the first fourteen weeks of the coronavirus lockdown, when he painted thirty heads:  

“This exploration of isolation considers the effects of being totally alone, capturing private moments of desperation. This series of paintings is a lasting record of what we all went through, distilled on thirty faces that represent so many more” Geoffrey Key’s website

This extraordinary donation came to us during lockdown so Helen sought advice from Adam Partridge, of the highly regarded auction house of the same name, based in Cheshire. They recommended that to reach the right specialist audience and thus the best price, Kidscan could enter the book into their four-day Northern Art virtual auction. Adam Partridge also very kindly offered to waive all fees so that, as a charity, we would get the total amount. 

We agreed and our book joined the sale hosted in Macclesfield. It was sold to the highest bidder at £200! A wonderful result for a wonderful artistic gesture of support! 

Now with restrictions relaxed to allow it, Helen was able to visit Geoffrey to share the news: 

“I went to see Geoffrey Key today and he was thrilled at the amount we raised at auction! And even happier that the auction had happened on his 80th Birthday. He took me up to his studio for a tour, to show me where he paints and more of his work. He also very generously, gave me another book which is a collection of bird pictures. He is keen for us to auction this off as well, to raise even more money for Kidscan.” Helen, Kidscan 

Geoffrey Key, thank you very much for your support!