SCULPTOR’S REMARKABLE BEQUEST GOES UNDER THE HAMMER

This collection, encompassing everything from tabletop sculptures to towering figures nearly six feet in height, stands out as one of the more unique donations received by the charity.

Faced with the task of leveraging the unique donation, officers of the organisation’s legacy team enlisted the help of our specialists at David Duggleby to advise on how best to sell the works of art for the benefit of the charity’s work.

Helen's artistic narrative is as compelling as her sculptures. Though her life was rich with painting and drawing, it was not until her fifties, in the early 1980s, that she embarked on sculpting. Her inaugural solo exhibition was held at Sewerby Hall in 1998, leading to a celebrated journey in sculpture. Among her accolades was her triumph at the Ferens Gallery Open Exhibition in June 2000, where her work 'Mother & Child' – inspired by the arrival of her first grandchild – was acclaimed and acquired by a private buyer during the event.

Helen described her depictions of people, animals and wildlife as ‘abstract based on reality’. In a BBC radio interview she revealed that she drew inspiration from the wood that she saw when walking in the East Yorkshire countryside and said that she was guided in her designs by the shape and appearance of the wood with which she was working.

The auction of Helen's sculptures, presented as twenty lots in our Decorative Antiques & Collectors Sale in Scarborough, was a poignant tribute to her artistic vision and charitable spirit. The event not only marked the largest assembly of Helen's works since her exhibition at Sewerby Hall but also featured many of her personal favourites from her studio and home, attracting significant attention and admiration.

We are honoured to have played a role in this meaningful celebration of Helen Skelton's artistry and generosity, supporting Marie Curie's mission to provide care and support through her lasting legacy.