A pop-up art shop selling unique watercolour paintings to raise money for local good causes has reopened in Wayfarers Arcade in Southport town centre.
The venture at 37 Wayfarers Arcade is selling works of art created by renowned Southport artist John Duffy MBE, who sadly died last year.
John was a huge supporter of charities and good causes across the town through his work over many years with Southport Rotary, whose motto is ‘Service Above Self’.
His kind-hearted family, including children Jonathan and Laura, thought it would be fitting for his art to be sold to raise money for the Southport Rotary Centenary Fund.
Last year saw the pop-up shop enjoy the support of Wayfarers Arcade in October and November, as they sold John’s paintings to members of the public, although many remain available.
People now have another chance to grab a unique piece of art to hang on their walls and raise money for charity at the same time.
John Duffy MBE was a prolific watercolour artist who loved depicting scenes of his home town of Southport, the Lake District and across the world with countries such as France, Italy, Malta and Egypt.
It is the latest in a series of events which have taken part to celebrate the Rotary Club of Southport’s 100th anniversary.
Southport Rotarian Keith Mitchell said: “The shop is back open again now and will be open over these next four weeks.
“It is going to be manned by Rotarians, as volunteers, between 10am and 4pm each day until the weekend of Saturday 1st July and Sunday 2nd July 2022.
“We were really pleased with the tremendous response we received the last time we were open.
“Southport Rotary is very grateful to Jonathan and Laura Butler for allowing us to sell their father’s paintings in order to raise money for the Southport Rotary Centenary Fund.
“We are hoping to arrange for the paintings to be available for sale online as well soon. We aim to get that up and running as soon as possible and will announce the details.
“They are wonderful paintings. John was a very talented man, but he was very quiet with it. He was very humble.
“He has left a tremendous legacy with his art, and the money raised through the sale of his paintings will make a positive impact on the local community.”
For over 50 years Johny Duffy MBE, a trained chartered surveyor and local businessman was a member of The Rotary Club of Southport.
John’s daughter, Laura Butler, said: “My Dad’s hobby was borne out of his deep love of buildings and architecture combined with a love of the landscape of the Lake District.
“As a busy Senior Partner of Hatch and Fielding Estate Agents he enjoyed weekends and holidays in the Lake District with a particular fondness for Borrowdale, Cartmel and Staveley where with his late wife, Mary, he bought part of a converted chapel providing a bolthole from the stresses of business and also as a base for painting and sketching trips in the Lake District National Park.
“As a chartered surveyor in Southport he was lucky enough to visit many properties in his 40 year career and he had a wealth of knowledge about Southport and its buildings.
“Many of his paintings are often in places in and around his home town and he was often commissioned to paint a particular property or meaningful place for someone.
“For many years he designed Christmas cards for his Rotary Club which he was a member of for over 50 years.
“The profits supported their charities and with each picture he sold, and there were very many, the proceeds would always go to a charity he was involved with, often The Samaritans.
“He was awarded an MBE for his charitable works in 2016, which was presented by our now King Charles III.
“He was involved in so many things around Southport, all of them local, never national.”
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