St Albans artist's legacy put up for charity sale

PROLIFIC local artist Alan Norris left scores of canvases and ceramics when he died at his St Albans home last year. And now his friends and students have come together to sell off the remaining works for charity in a two-day sale at his home next weekend

PROLIFIC local artist Alan Norris left scores of canvases and ceramics when he died at his St Albans home last year.

And now his friends and students have come together to sell off the remaining works for charity in a two-day sale at his home next weekend.

Alan, who was 83 when he died, trained at St Albans Art College and went on to become head of art at Oaklands College.

When he retired he ran classes from his home and hundreds of students passed through his hands.

But he also carried on painting and over the years created many hundreds of pictures of St Albans and its people which he sold through word of mouth and the Herts Open Studios annual event.

Over 300 works were left in his house when he died and the two-day sale from 10am to 4pm next Saturday and Sunday, March 13 and 14, at 5 Manor Road has been organised by friends and ex-students Steve Rogers, Lyn Walker, Pam Forster and Mike Dunckley.

Steve said: "We just sat down and said we would like to have an open studio of Alan's work. There is so much good stuff here.

"We want people to enjoy the sale and whatever we make goes to charity. He was so generous, he used to give things away and if you sat for a portrait, you would be given it."

The sale includes 140 paintings of St Albans as well as portraits, still lifes and early works together with ceramics Alan created. Prices range from �10 to �200 and to view the works on sale go to www.pbase.com/alannorris