Celebrities Auction Art for Charity on QXL.com

Over 200 original artworks by some of the most prestigious artists working today, as well additional artwork submitted by a host of celebrities, will be sold on QXL.com to raise money for a new fund to provide aid to Tsunami struck villages in memory of the late Robin Needham, a celebrated senior aid worker for CARE International.

London (PRWEB) October 2, 2005 -- Over 200 original artworks by some of the most prestigious artists working today, as well additional artwork submitted by a host of celebrities, will be sold on QXL.com to raise money for a new fund to provide aid to Tsunami struck villages in memory of the late Robin Needham, a celebrated senior aid worker for CARE International.

After an extraordinary appeal by 20-year-old Edinburgh University student, Daisy Bell, niece of Robin Needham, artists and celebrities including Seve Ballesteros, Sol Campbell, Charlotte Church, James Dyson, Ralph Fiennes, Theo Fennell, Loyd Grossman, Nigel Havers, Elizabeth Hurley, Vernon Kay, David Linley, Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Paul McCartney, Chris Moyles, Bill Nighy, Gail Porter, Mario Testino, Joanna Trollope and The Kings of Leon responded with a postcard filled with their work or doodlings.

The project has been organised by Daisy Bell together with university friends Mary Ramsden and Marianna Chidley, as well as her family.

My uncle, Robin Needham, was killed in the tsunami on Boxing Day last year," commented Daisy Bell. His death naturally caused my family immense grief but it was his loss to the international aid and development world that has inspired me to take on this charity project. Robin worked for CARE International for 25 years helping a great number of third world countries and was director of CARE-Nepal when he was killed. It is ironic that he was taken from us in the world's biggest natural disaster when he would have been in his element helping.

We have sent a single plain postcard (approx: 5 ½" by 3 ½") and a SAE to many established artists, writers, musicians, actors and celebrities. The response has been extraordinary and I am incredibly grateful to everyone that took the time and trouble to return the postcards whether with an intricate painting or drawing or just a signature ... It will all help raise funds."

Bernard Williams, Christie's auctioneer and head of the firm's activities in Scotland commented: The response has been fantastic and we hope to raise thousands of pounds. The market for contemporary artwork has never been stronger and there are some really fine examples including the Blackadder which is beautiful and the Hirst shark postcard which is also very valuable."

An online auction with over 200 works of art on offer is live on QXL.com at www.QXL.com. The closing of the QXL auction will be 12 noon on 3rd October.

Furthermore, a selection of artworks will be sold on 30th September in Edinburgh in a live auction at Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh conducted by Christie's auctioneer, Bernard Williams. Entrance is 10 by advance purchase. A two-day public exhibition (2 entry) will follow, displaying all the artworks that were submitted on the 1st and 2nd of October (after the live auction).

Art of Care Website has full details and is available to view at www.artofcare.co.uk How to Buy an Artwork from the ART OF CARE auctions -- Visit QXL.com at www.qxl.com or come to the Opening on 30th September in Edinburgh.

About the Cause - All proceeds will go towards the fund set up in the name of Robin Needham with CARE International UK. Robin was the first director of CARE Britain and helped to form and establish this branch of CARE in 1988. Through this project we hope to raise enough money to help in specific villages that were destroyed by the tsunami. We have been assured by the charity that all money raised will go directly to these areas affected by the disaster.

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