FOR the second year in a row, professional artist Ian Middleton, who works out of his studio in Burley-in-Wharfedale, helped contribute to the cancer charity event hosted by the Royal Academy and Marie Curie in London.

The event raised in excess of £100,000 during a private evening of viewing at the Academy’s 2017 Summer Exhibition on July 11.

This year Ian’s painting of ‘Cry From The Edge II’ was accepted for auction. It is a highly original expressionist work dealing with man’s destruction of nature and the environment featuring over sixty abstract, concealed animals. He was also represented with his much praised semi abstract work ‘Polar Bears’.

"It was a surreal experience to walk up the Academy steps and see your painting displayed in the Central Hall alongside some of the biggest names in art, all arranged on their individual easels with huge numbers of people bustling to take a closer look," said Ian, who was accompanied on the evening by his wife Jayne, Rosemary Freely and John Hepworth who is a leading Marie Curie fundraiser in the North of England.

The main event of the evening was the auction of 20 paintings, half of which were publicly auctioned by Adrian Biddle, formerly the senior director at Sotherbys and now with Waterhouse & Dodd. The remainder were part of a silent auction which took place between 7pm and 9pm whereby the 750 guests were able to bid using iPads.

The works of many well know artists were up for auction in both sectors including Sir Hugh Casson, Professor Ken Howard OBE RA, Beryl Cook, Professor Chris Orr MBE RA and Gillian Ayres CBE RA. All paintings were sold and raised £176,148 gross and £118,454 net after all expenses.

Ian added: "Ken Howard made an excellent speech to close the auction wherein he reinforced the benefits of purchasing the right form of art where prices would only increase over say the next ten years, providing immeasurable enjoyment in the process. He compared this to a similar purchase of a non vintage motor car where despite the enjoyment factor over the same period the value would be likely to have nosedived!"

The evening was closed by Lady Kate Cotton, Chairman of the Marie Curie Royal Academy Committee. The money will pay for 650 shifts of Marie Curie nursing care.

Ian's current project is called ‘1812’ which will be completed over the next few months.The painting combines realism and abstract approaches to plot the story of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in that year. The musical score of Tchaikovsky’s overture will be extracted to compliment the parts of the painting which figured in the composer’s work.

Visitors are very welcome to pop into his studio and see the work developing for themselves. Ian can be contacted on 01943 864349