Art Fights Fire: An Online Art Auction to Help Australia’s Bushfire Relief Effort

If you’ve ever thought about buying an original work by an Aussie artist, there’s never been a better time.
Like most of us, Lucy Feagins – editor of popular design blog The Design Files – was feeling devastated and helpless as news of bushfires across the country continued to roll in.

“It’s one of those situations where we go, ‘Okay, what are our resources, what are our contacts, what do we know we can do?’” Feagins tells Broadsheet.

The answer came to the team quickly: an art auction.

In just 24 hours the plan went from idea to reality. “Our office leapt into action on Monday – we contacted all the artists we know and brought it to life in just one day.”

More than 30 artists have donated work. There’s a still life by Archibald Prize winner Yvette Coppersmith; an undersea-scape by Ken Done; a striking oil-on-linen piece by Guy Maestri, another Archibald Prize winner; and a spectacular – both in size and scope – acrylic work by Melbourne-based artist Kirra Jamison.

The auction started on Tuesday morning with the goal of raising $50,000 for Victoria’s Country Fire Association and New South Wales’s Wires wildlife rescue. The funds raised surpassed this figure by 1pm the same day.

Several more works were added on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, including one by furniture designer Made By Morgen.

“All day we’ve been contacted by artists who want to be involved,” Feagins says. “It’s a significant expense for [artists] to choose to donate that work instead of selling it, so it’s just incredible. I think it’s one of those situations that’s united so many people.”

Art Fights Fire is on until until 5pm on Monday January 13. You can bid on work here.