Tess Shennan’s artwork of the Heath in autumn is the prize in a draw to raise funds for Heath Hands
A Kentish Town artist is raffling her painting of Hampstead Heath to raise funds for a conservation charity that looks after the green space.
Tess Shennan spent time during the first lockdown while on furlough visiting the Heath and painting her favourite spots.
Now she is offering one of her works as a prize to fundraise for green fingered volunteer charity Heath Hands.
“This year has been quite strange but it’s given me time to do a lot more art work,” says Shennan, whose day job is as a press officer for Sadler’s Wells.
“I was able to use the furlough to pursue those creative routes, and spent a lot of time outside in nature which inspired these abstract floral artworks.
“I like to focus on snippets of nature, the corner of a garden or looking up at the sky to see the edge of a tree. With our world being so confusing and sad at the moment I hope my paintings add colour and joy to the corners of peoples homes.”
Her trips to the Heath gave her inspiration “to support an organisation that looked after our green spaces”.
Launched in the Ham&High in 1999, by Vale of Health resident Bobby de Joia, Heath Hands has grown to include projects at Keats House, Highgate Wood and the Kenwood Estate with around 350 volunteers taking part in monitoring wildlife, preserving habitats, conservation work, and nature education programmes.
Shennan, who has taken courses at The Slade School, and Art Academy, added:
“I am lucky to be so close to Hampstead Heath. Walking and being in nature can be a relief from the strange times we find ourselves in, and these green spaces are more important than ever before. I am keen to support the charity which helps so much with wellbeing in the local community, schools, charity groups, carers, dementia groups, vulnerable people.
“They are absolutely brilliant looking after habitats for wildlife which are so important to us this year in particular. We are lucky to have a charity to help us enjoy the Heath.”
Raffle tickets cost £2 per entry to win Tess Shennan’s painting inspired by Hampstead Heath in Autumn. (acrylic on canvas (50 x 60)
Every penny is donated to Heath Hands. Closing date Saturday December 19 when the winner will be selected at random.
Buy tickets at www.tshennanart.co.uk/heathhandsfundraiser
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