The auction will include some previously unseen original paintings and prints, a number of very rare remarqued prints, a selection of his bronzes and some of his hugely sought after dressed animals.
Mick was one of the UK’s leading sporting, dog and countryside artists and lived in the Retford area for more than 10 years. It was during this time, in 1987, that he was discovered by Sally Mitchell, founder of Sally Mitchell Fine Arts and Gallery, art agent and author. They worked together for 20 years and the business has helped share Mick’s work with a wide international audience ever since. Mick’s love of the countryside, his understanding of what he was painting shone through in his art; his ability to study an animal in the flesh and almost immediately transfer that image from his mind’s eye to canvas. His published prints introduced his work to a much wider audience and gained him international recognition winning the Fine Art Trade Guild’s coveted award for the Top Selling Published Artist in 1998. Since his untimely death in 2006, you cannot attend a country show without his name coming up in conversation and the gallery is constantly being approached by people looking for Mick’s original work.
John Mitchell. Director of Sally Mitchell Fine Arts commented: ‘The auction in previous years has been a great success, bringing some very unusual pieces to market and allowing Mick Cawston followers to add to their collections. Every time we run the specialist ‘biennial’ auction we secretly fear it may be the last! That we may not be able to gather together enough pieces to run another, and yet here we are with the 8th such auction with some really rare and unusual pieces. We’re delighted to share that we have the originals of the prints of ‘The Whippet’ and ‘Into the Light’, some particularly rare ‘remarqued’ prints (these are prints that have an original sketch on their border) including ‘Trouble Brewing’, a selection of his cold cast bronzes and the sought after dressed animals.’
Later in Mick’s career, he discovered the work of Jonathan Walker, an illustrator of children’s books and a specialist in anthropomorphic art. Inspired by Jonathan’s work, Mick’s eyes were fully opened to the possibilities of painting anthropomorphic images in which human qualities are given to animals. Cawston’s unique style had dark humour embedded in it and it is this artwork which has a huge following today and remains extremely sought after.
The auction itself is hosted by an independent third party; ‘The Antiques Trade Gazette’ on their website www.the-saleroom.com and runs in a very similar fashion to ‘eBay’ auctions. Bids can be placed during the period of the auction and the site will only take the lowest amount required to purchase the lot. The paintings, prints, bronzes and dressed animals will be available to view in detail on-line at www.sallymitchell.com and in person at Sally Mitchell’s Gallery in Tuxford from 22nd April.
A free catalogue showing a selection of the auction artwork is available or if you would like adding to our mailing list please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone 01777 872152. A wide range of Mick Cawston’s prints and greetings cards are available all year round via the Gallery and online at www.sallymitchell.com
