PORTSMOUTH
On the morning of Dec. 20, Skipjack Nautical Wares & Marine Gallery was destroyed as a result of a fire that started in an Olde Towne church.
The owners, Joe and Alison Elder, lived above their business, making it a double loss.
Even before the fire was extinguished, an artist called another gallery in the same block with a plan to help.
"I'm going to paint a painting," Angela Bounds of Norfolk told Barbara Hester, owner of Vincent Hester Gallery, "and when you sell it, I want you to give my share of it to them."
That gave Hester the idea to stage an art auction to benefit the Elders. It will take place at 6 p.m. Friday at Chez Papillote, a new French restaurant also in the 600 block of High Street, site of the fire.
The auction will replace, for January, the usual receptions held the first Friday of each month in some of Olde Towne's galleries and shops.
Hester began organizing Dec. 21, with help from Shooting Star Gallery in Suffolk, d'Art Center in Norfolk and Riverview Gallery in Portsmouth. "In no time I had people e-mailing me that they wanted to donate a painting."
So far, more than 70 artists have offered work, including painter Robert Burnell, his jeweler wife, Betty Burnell, and ceramicist Howard Johnson, all of Portsmouth.
Hester will donate any profit from sales to the Elders. Haircuts, dinners and other items also are being offered. Gail Wolpin of Phoebus Auction Gallery will act as auctioneer.
All proceeds will go to the Friends of Skipjack funds that were set up by the Olde Towne Business Association at TowneBank and Guardian Federal Credit Union.
Teresa Annas, (757) 446-2485, teresa.annas@pilotonline.com
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