Kiwi artists come together in a bid to raise funds

New Zealand artists have come together to assist in our time of need. Auckland-based artist Rachael Mayne has initiated a silent auction where all proceeds go to the Kindness Collective Foundation, with the hope to raise funds to help the people affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. The silent auction is simply one community helping another, and the artist community wants to say we see you and we want to help in the only way we know how.

With 22 artists taking part, the silent auction takes place on Thursday 9 March at 6pm-7.30pm via Art Auction for Gabrielle Storm Reliefhttps://art-auction-for-gabrielle-storm-relief.myshopify.com/. View the ‘how it works page’ on the website for how to make a bid.

“I felt helpless watching people’s homes and livelihoods destroyed and I wanted to assist in any way I could, so decided to auction off a piece of my own original artwork where 100% of the proceeds go to the Gabrielle Storm Relief,” says Rachael. “I put a call out on social media to any artists wanting to get involved and was blown away by the generosity and calibre of artists donating pieces to be part of the auction. So many artists have gifted original pieces of artwork that take hundreds of hours to create - it has been really heartening to see how the art community pulls together to help in a time of need.”

Artists from around the country include:

Rachael Mayne from Auckland
Julie Battisti from Dunedin
Abbey Merson from the Hawke’s Bay
Alicia Beech from the Bay of Plenty
Petrina Jose from Snells Beach
Georgina Hoby Scutt from Nelson
Brenda Clews from Auckland
Helen Dean from Titirangi
Jasmine Kroeze from Tauranga
Jen Sievers from Auckland
Sierra Roberts from Dunedin
Carrie Broomhall from Christchurch
Sarah Barton-Hills from Auckland
Lyndy Wilson from Ngaruawahia
Holly Roach from Auckland
Andrea Ventling from Auckland
Ana Klazine Burne from Nelson
Sara Langdon from Auckland
Julie Whyman from Hamilton
Jan Oram from Palmerston North
Phoebe Gander from Gisborne
Helen Bankers from Auckland

The Kindness Collective Foundation is a charity that connects children and their families with everything they need, from everyday essentials to moments of joy. They have significantly increased its services to provide food, toiletries, clothing and bedding support for thousands of people affected by the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, in Auckland, Northland, Port Waikato and Hawke’s Bay since Saturday 28 January. The need is ongoing and thousands of families will be living with the after-effects of the weather events for months, and even years, to come. 100% of the funds raised will be used to support families and communities with much-needed resources to rebuild their lives.