By Carole Dennett
Artists across the South coast are working to raise funds to help YMCA Fairthorne Group support young carers through the current crisis and beyond.
A group of artists from the Isle of Wight who kicked off the project have been joined by artists from as far as Devon and Cornwall to offer work to raise money in aid of YMCA, a community charity working across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The Artists for YMCA project aims to raise upwards of £50,000 in order to make a difference to the lives of young people in a caring role, with artists offering commissions and existing work in return for donations to the charity.
Trudie Augustus-Harris from YMCA Isle of Wight Young Carers service said: “Projects such as Artists for YMCA can really make a difference to young carers’ lives. Every donation made in return for an artwork will help us to ensure young carers as young as 5 years old have access to the support they need beyond this difficult period.”
Scottish-born artist Nick Martin, who is now resident on the Isle of Wight, specialises in portraiture whilst continuing to teach at Quay Arts in Newport, and is offering one of his intricate oil paintings with 50% going to the charity.
Isle of Wight resident Jeremy Gully, a portrait painter who is promoting the project said: “There is some fantastic work available in a wide price range from £100 to £4,000. Buyers can indulge themselves with a clear conscience knowing 50% to 100% of the price goes to the charity. The artists can make sales and new contacts whilst knowing they are doing good.”
“YMCA has made many young lives better, that is what they are good at, but this year is going to be especially hard. This project is just artists doing what they do best to help.
You can see the works available at the website artistsforymca.co.uk or the Artists-for-YMCA Facebook page
