A cancer patient, who took up sculpting after treatment, has raised more than £7,000 for his local hospice.
Michael Berg found the tactile nature of creating artworks out of chicken wire therapeutic after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
During lockdown, he turned his Temple Fortune front garden into an outdoor gallery, including a Hope rainbow and 'Clap for the NHS' piece.
“I used to love to write,” he said. “But after my cancer treatment I developed writer's block and so turned my hands to sculpting. I like experimenting and found chicken wire was good to work with. I displayed the first few pieces in my garden and people started asking about them and whether I’d make something for them. It just escalated from there. I never wanted to make money from them, so asked for donations to the hospice."
Berg takes inspiration from animals, his family, and his favourite paintings by the likes of Marc Chagall. His pieces range from unicorns, flamingos and herons to stained glass archways, his grandson playing the French horn, and granddaughters in ballet poses.
Michael and wife Ros share a lifelong love of theatre and belong to amateur group Garden Suburb Theatre. They have even transformed their front garden with scenes from the musical Fiddler on The Roof.
The couple have also long supported North London Hospice, based in Woodside Avenue, Finchley, with Ros chairing the Northwest Support Group.
Michael added: "Some pieces make around £50 but a couple have raised £1,000, which was incredible. I’m so pleased my work is bringing so much pleasure to people and helping such a wonderful local charity.”
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