Harry Potter illustrator donates artwork to Boishop’s Stortford primary school auction

Prestigious artists and acclaimed authors have supported a Bishop’s Stortford primary school’s first silent postcard art auction.

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Great Hadham Road has also secured contributions for the fundraiser from Gladiators Fire and Giant.

In addition, students have created their masterpieces for parents to place their bids on.

The auction will end on Friday, July 5, and Bishop’s Stortord’s mayor, Cllr Richard Townsend, was invited to a preview of the collection.

Jason Cockcroft is the author and illustrator of over 40 books for children and the creator of covers for the last three books in J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

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He donated a postcard featuring the series hero and his famous feathered friend – Harry and Hedwig.

Pippa Goodhart, who also writes under the pen name of Laura Owen, gifted a postcard titled Things I’ve Chosen From a Book and author Piers Torday, who won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize in 2014, created Read Books Or Get Eaten.

Best-selling author and illustrator Rob Biddulph went viral during lockdown with his Draw With Rob art tutorials on YouTube. He created a cute Gregosaurus for the auction.

Holly Webb has more than 130 books under her belt and used her drawing skills to create Green Eye Cat while award-winning author and illustrator Thomas Docherty contributed Leo the Knight Who Wouldn’t Fight.

Female Gladiator Fire, from the hit BBC reboot of the classic competition, has donated a signed picture while her male colleague Giant – real name Jamie Christian-Johal – has gone one better with a sketch of his favourite challenge from the endurance sports show, Duel.

Bishop’s Stortford artist Tracey Pinnington, who has a new studio in Florence Walk, specialises in wildlife portraits and is famed for her realistic style.

She has donated two pieces – Watercolour Feather and Barn Owl to the auction.

The wildlife theme continues with Bishop’s Stortford artist Danielle Bartram’s delicate Watercolour Rabbit.

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Hannah Lipsey, a master of hyperrealism, has donated one of her limited edition prints and the school was thrilled to receive a postcard and two canvasses – Plump Bumblebee and Robin in the Snow – from Bishop’s Stortford artist Gabrielle Vickery.

Kellie O’Dwyer and Lucy Grafton, from the school’s association, organised the event.

Kellie said: “As this is the first event of its nature, we have decided that it will not be open to the public, however, this is something that we might consider for the future.

“Also, as this is our first auction, we do not have a specific figure in mind for how much we will raise. All money that is raised from this school association event will be used to fund exciting, memorable experiences for our pupils.

“We have both thought it absolutely wonderful to see the beautiful artwork that the children have produced.

“We have also been overwhelmed by the generosity of the local artists and well-known children’s illustrators, authors and two of TV’s Gladiators, who have kindly taken the time to contribute.”