Centrepieces Mental Health Arts Project: auction

Centrepieces Annual Auction 2016

In March 2016, I very excitedly booked our second annual auction at 'The Meeting Place' in The Orchards Shopping Centre, Dartford. After our successful first auction here we were looking forward to creating a repeat performance, carefully timing it to finish just before the turning on of the Christmas lights.

However, as we moved closer to the event and began to send out word and advertising to our contacts about the coming auction, we thought we should just confirm with the shopping centre that everything was okay to go ahead.

It wasn't.

During the year, the management at Dartford Shopping Centre had had a restructuring, and during this time the record of our booking for the auction had been lost. It was a big shock to everyone, as we had already done a large part of the work towards our yearly auction.

However, with the quick thinking of The Orchards Shopping Centre management and a lot of rescheduling for some very understanding groups who use 'The Meeting Place', with days to spare, the auction was back on!

Even the volunteer's children lent a helping hand with moving the furniture, taking pictures and keeping each other occupied with some quiet games and laughter.

A huge display of paintings were hung, covering the walls.

A visitor admiring a painting 'Full Sail' by Trevor Whitting.

Sculptures are a relatively new addition to the auction as we expand on sculpture workshops at Centrepieces throughout the year.

There are always last minute preparations in organising the most efficient way to keep the best records, and to keep the auction running as smoothly as possible.

A visitor admiring 'The Gypsies Promise' by Christianna Cassisa.

Diana Donkor, our arts administrator and Geoff Norris our coordinator then worked frantically on a tight timescale to gather and catalogue all the artwork that was needed.

Hundreds of selected artworks were loaded into the cars and van of our hard working team, all artists and volunteers of Centrepieces; the work was then loaded into shopping trolleys so that we could maneuver them through the corridors of the shopping centre from the loading bay to the venue. Paintings were hung wherever we could find space, sculptures were displayed on the furniture we could find, and display tables were set up for cards, hand made jewellery and artwork to be sold there and then.

Once the artwork was all in place, the shoppers started to wander in to see what we had on offer. Artists and Centrepieces members were there for 3 days during opening hours waiting to talk to interested visitors who primarily came to see the wonderful artwork on offer, but were also very interested to hear of the personal stories of the artists, and how art for them can be therapy, an outlet and eventually a career!

Other stalls that were on display held Centrepieces greetings cards, small sculptures, unframed paintings, and handmade jewelry that were on sale throughout the viewing period, before the auction.

The large range of Karen Larkin's handmade jewellery on offer throughout the four day event.

Members of the public admiring Karen Larkin's huge range of handmade jewellery.

Stalls were also there for cards, sculptures, paintings and hand made jewellery available to be bought on the spot.

On the morning of the auction there was more work to be done, and as well as speaking to the members of the public who were still discovering this Aladdin's cave of wonderful art work, our team of helpers got to work arranging the chairs, remembering to allow for wheelchair access and viewing space. Then there were our food organisers who bought, prepared and laid out a beautiful buffet, not forgetting the mince pies, fruit juices and wine! While all of this was going on, our administration team worked out the best plan of action for the complicated processes of registering bidders, handing out the paintings and taking the payments.

Hand made pieces, jewellery, Christmas ornaments, keepsake boxes, and sculptures ~ a few of the extras on offer.

Paul Adams our auctioneer adds a little interest or personal touch to every piece by remembering the stories he hears in conversation with our artists, members and other volunteers. He creates a great atmosphere with an easy and laid back humour, while keeping everything together with his professionalism.

After our auctioneer had familiarised himself with many of the artworks and gained some interesting background information about some of the pieces, we counted down the minutes until we could introduce ourselves to the audience that had slowly been filling the room, and start the auction.

Our auctioneer Paul Adams assisted by our lovely ceramics workshop tutor Denise Tarrant.

The auction fell into a nice rhythm and many pieces were sold, some had advanced bids already for those bidders that couldn't attend the event and when the auction came to a close, Centrepieces had sold about a third of the artworks, and made over a thousand pounds, which was split with the artists 50/50.

Seconds before our auction was about to start.

Our happy young assistants helped from beginning to end, and entertained and uplifted us with their endless energy and smiles!

When the auction was over, everyone enjoyed our buffet and there were lots of animated conversations about the auction, about the Centrepieces Mental Health Arts Project and generally about art, life and everything in between. Happy buyers left with their paintings and sculptures they had bought, either a treat for themselves or perhaps Christmas presents. And who knows? Perhaps one day, that little painting will bring them a huge investment when they see that their chosen artist has at last achieved fame and fortune!

Thanks to some lovely helpers, we had a fantastic buffet to offer our volunteers and guests to the auction!

Written by Christianna Cassisa

Photography and editing by George Banfield

11:59
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GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE...

Centrepieces' 15th auction had an encouraging response from the residents of Dartford.

The busy auction space in the Orchards Shopping Centre.

On Saturday 14 November, The Orchards Shopping Centre in Dartford played host to Centrepieces’ 15th annual auction. As in previous years, the object was to raise money for the artists who are members of the charity, as well as increase funds to help keep the organisation running.

On a wet but busy pre-Christmas shopping day, prospective buyers were invited into an auction space set up in one of the Shopping Centre’s vacant shops. There they found a very professionally laid out registration desk, 100+ framed pieces of artwork, a table of sculpture and some packed information boards about the services and events that Centrepieces offers. The auction had been open since Thursday to receive prior bids and, in a sign of how popular it had been, several had been accepted before Saturday morning.

Centrepieces' Co-ordinator Geoff Norris
with artist Christie Cassisa.

Overall, Centrepieces’ artist Christie Cassisa witnessed a positive response from Dartford residents: ‘I think the public’s imagination opened up as they stood there amongst the artwork, because the part of their minds they would usually be embarrassed about was stimulated. For instance, a few people were artists themselves and they were happy that all these varied artists had a place to present their stuff. From that, there was one woman who’s an artist with a history of mental illness who wants to come and see what Centrepieces is all about.

‘There was one funny moment. I asked one woman “What do you think?” and she was unimpressed until I told her all the work had been done by people with issues like depression and schizophrenia, and then she said “Oh, actually, some of it’s pretty good!” That shows perceptions can change very quickly, from not knowing anything about Centrepieces to being genuinely interested in the charity. That’s very, very important for people who suffer this kind of disability. It’s somewhere they can come where they’re not outsiders. The meeting place and the auction was brilliant for letting people know about us.’

Auctioneer Paul Adams.

When the auction commenced at 12.30 prompt, with most of the 28 buyers’ seats filled, each artist was introduced by the painter Nicole reading out a short biography, all of which were touchingly honest and in some cases very moving. As the porters held up individual artworks, bids (usually above the reserve price) were invited by auctioneer Paul Adams, Chairman of the Disabled Photographers’ Society. After a slow start, Paul’s infectiously enthusiastic personality encouraged a generous response, resulting in 40 pieces of work being sold in just 1 and ½ hours, raising £1,200.

The event was over all too quickly at 2.00pm, but was successful enough to ensure that this year’s Centrepieces auction won’t be the last. Buyers, charity officials, and above all the artists, all went home happy.

Photographs copyright: Dawn Tomlin

CENTREPIECES ANNUAL AUCTION,

SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2015

Orchard's Shopping Centre, Dartford, from 12.30pm.

This November sees the 15th Annual Auction of artwork created by artists from Centrepieces. The event raises money to help keep the organisation running, with 50% of sales going to the artists who are members of Centrepieces, all of whom have experienced mental health problems.

Originally established with a £5,000 Millennium Award from the National Lottery, Centrepieces was for many years supported by the Crayford Centre, which was part of the local mental health services. It moved in June 2014 to new premises in the Lodge at Hall Place in Bexley, financially supported by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. Today, Centrepieces consists of around 100 artists, many of whom volunteer to help run the project. Centrepieces became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in February 2015 and is currently looking to fundraise to secure its longer term future.

Centrepieces exists to promote mental health recovery through the arts, creating opportunities for people to take part in art activities, and to exhibit and sell their work; it also tries to promote a better understanding of mental health in the wider public. With that aim in mind, the charity promotes public art in the local community, such as ‘The Worrier’ (above) previously sited by the river Cray in Crayford Town Centre, and the ‘The Nest’ (left) sculpture at Hall Place, projects which have been led by Centrepieces artists.

This year’s Auction previews from Thursday 12th to the morning of Saturday 14 November, and visitors can make advanced bids for any work they are interested in buying, if unable to attend the event itself.

Below are some examples of the style of work that will be on offer: