An art exhibition, which will celebrate the life of a Worcestershire artist, is due to take place next month.
The event on Saturday 11 August at The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, near Evesham is in memory of professional artist Clive Pryke.
The exhibition will raise funds for St Richard’s Hospice, who helped care for Clive before he died in August 2017. Clive was originally diagnosed with oesophageal cancer four years earlier.
Jan Pryke, Clive’s wife, explained : “We have managed to put together a selection of Clive’s paintings, some are on loan from private collections, some are for sale; but the important point of this exhibition is to show the artistic ability of a much loved, admired and truly missed individual who has left this lasting record of his work to be enjoyed forever.”
Clive, who was born in Cheshire in 1948, trained with the Stockport Art Guild; his love of the traditional English countryside inspired him to paint landscapes in watercolours and oils. With increasing demand for his work, he became professional in 1982. He exhibited regularly throughout the UK, United States and France, with his paintings sold all around the world as part of private collections.
Clive and Jan were married in June 2007 at the same venue as next month’s art exhibition and it holds a very special place in Jan’s heart.
She explained: “The Fleece Inn was very much part of our lives and we had many good times there. We managed to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary there and the Morris Men danced for us just like they did on our wedding day. Clive only had two months to live at that point. His funeral was also there which we managed to turn into a celebration of his life and once again it was full of love, laughter and music. His ashes are even buried at the bottom of the Fleece garden with a cider apple tree growing from him.”
Jan concluded : “St Richard’s made it possible for Clive to die at home with the help of their specialist nurses; they managed his pain relief, supported me throughout and towards the end of his life, managed night and agency care. Without their love and support we would simply not have been able to cope.”
Visitors to the art exhibition will be asked for a donation with 20 per cent of any painting sold going to the hospice.
Claire James, Fundraiser at St Richard’s Hospice said: “We are, as ever, so grateful for the fundraising spirit of people like Jan and would encourage as many people as possible to go along to the exhibition and view the wonderful paintings of such a celebrated artist.”
For further information contact Jan Pryke on 01386 834673.