West Cork artworks in charity auction

SEVERAL West Cork artists are taking part in the annual incognito art sale in aid of the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation.

The much-loved annual event, in which the identities of the artists remain top secret, and are only revealed once the art deal is done, will take place on Wednesday, May 20th.

Among those taking part are Christine Thery from Heir Island (pictured), Siobhan Duggan from Macroom, Hannah McGrenera from Bishopstown, and Emer O’Neill from Midleton.

To mark the sale’s tenth anniversary, organisers have announced that this year’s collection features a newly-enlarged 6 x 8-inch postcard size.

The collection of almost 2,000 original artworks, each costing €75, can now be viewed at www.incognito.ie.

Funds raised are life-changing for the 58 Cork families currently receiving care from the charity.

In the decade since the sale was first inaugurated, a total of €1.4m has been raised, supporting vital in-home nursing and respite care for Jack & Jill families across the country.

The service offers up to 100 hours of care a month to families caring for children, up to the age of seven, with severe learning disability often associated with complex medical needs, and operates seven days a week, with no means test, no red tape, and no waiting list.

The brains behind incognito, curator Lucinda Hall, recalls how the novel art sale, in which artists donate anonymously and buyers purchase expectantly, came about.

‘It was actually my hairdresser who told me about the mystery art sale concept he came across in London. I was having dinner one evening with Jonathan Irwin, my friend and Jack and Jill founder, and he was on the lookout for new ideas. The rest, as they say is history.’

For Deirdre Walsh, CEO of the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, incognito has meant more children can be cared for, for longer, and that families can now receive counselling support: ‘In those ten years, we have gone from supporting children up to the age of five years, to six years, and now to seven years. Last year, for the first time, we introduced a counselling service for all families too, providing additional support.

‘Artists tell me that it is a real badge of honour to see their art showcased, while for the art buyer, there is the thrill in securing a treasured piece of art.’