Limerick artist to give life’s work to charity

ACCLAIMED Limerick artist Barbara Hartigan has decided to donate the proceeds of her life’s work to a good cause.

Ms Hartigan, who resides in Castleconnell, has compiled some 70 signed portraits of well-known faces.

They include Sir Terry Wogan, Mother Teresa, Dolly Parton, Bill Clinton, Lionel Richie, Kris Kristofferson, Marcel Marceau, Jimmy Carr to name but a few.

Now she would like the works of art to help a charity.

“They are sitting in files and stored all over the place. I just thought it was kind of ridiculous and it would be nice if they did some good somewhere along the line because they are worth a lot of money. I am thrilled to do it,” said Ms Hartigan.

She is adamant that “every penny is to go to charity”.

Ms Haritgan invites charities or big organisations who wish to take on the philanthropic project to get in touch with her.

“I am hoping someone will take it on. I want it professionally done, all the portraits to be marketed and promoted and put up for auction together online to get the maximum value for them,” said Ms Hartigan, who can be contacted at barbara@hartigan.ie

When the portraits are gone she will still have the wonderful memories of her and husband Leslie's adventures in getting them signed.

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These are detailed in a book Ms Hartigan and her family, with the assistance of the late Dermot Walsh, brought out in 2016. It is entitled Putting Names on Faces - Confessions of a Portrait Painting Stalker.

Aged just five Santa brought her an autograph book and a life’s obsession was born.

“I approached people from all walks of life and asked them to write in my book. I think I had the signatures of all the CIE bus drivers and conductors who drove on the Revington Park route,” said Ms Hartigan.

While her friends collected stickers and cigarette cards, Barbara only wanted signatures.

Her first portrait was of renowned Limerick comedy double act Tom and Paschal which they signed.

“What a good idea I thought - I would build a collection of personality portraits all signed by the subject,” said Barbara. And she did.

“Right from the start, the challenge of getting famous and celebrated people from all walks of life to sign my portrait studies became an adventure. Each portrait and signature quest took on the excitement and tension of a hunt. Yet each experience was different. The autograph portraits took on a life of their own accompanied in many cases by a rollercoaster ride through a gamut of emotions,” she says.

And now it may be possible to own your very own signed portrait of a celebrity, but also the story behind it with the money going to a good cause.