250 Artists Contribute Pocket-sized Works to Largest-ever Art on a Postcard Auction

The seventh Art on a Postcard auction is open for bids, raising funds for the Hepatitis C Trust. Works here (clockwise from top left) by Petra Schott, Shelly Tregoning, Emma White, Rachel Deacon, Peter Jones, and Alan Fears (all images courtesy the artists and Art on a Postcard)

The art world is oft beset by size queens, clamoring for the biggest works possible. But bigger is not always better, as an upcoming art auction proves, by presenting hundreds of works confined to the size of a postcard. This year’s Art on a Postcard Winter Auction is the largest to date, with an expanded catalogue celebrating 20 years of its beneficiary, the Hepatitis C Trust. This is the seventh edition of the fundraiser, which serves both to materially benefit Hepatitis C research and recovery, as well as raising awareness for the illness, supporting those living with it, and taking key steps towards its eradication.

The auction, which opened November 4, presents works by 250 artists, including Ryan Mosely, Petra Schott, Lisbeth Mitty, and Hurvin Anderson. Some 550 singular pocket-sized offerings will remain up for bids until the close of the auction on November 25.

“This year’s auction is so full of exceptional little works,” said Gemma Peppé, founder and director of Art on a Postcard, in a press release for the auction. “It feels like there is an unconventional theme which has come together on its own and which is perfect for a celebration of The Hepatitis C Trust’s 20 years.” Peppé lauded the Hepatitis C Trust as one that “stands alone in its glorious, idiosyncratic unconventionality … we have never followed a formula or rules and many of us hadn’t worked in an office when we started. It’s a miracle we’ve got where we are now.”

This auction sees the return of several Art on a Postcard contributors, including Royal Academician Mick Rooney, British painter Peter Messer, and Deborah Batt — as well as some new artists, such as Hurvin Anderson, Petra Schott, and Lisbeth Mitty. As far as styles go, the field is vast, but all of the work could be considered post-modern.

Art on a Postcard is not only an essential fundraising tool for Hepatitis C Trust, but it underscores their approach to charity work — something fun and engaging, but also something that proves how even the smallest gestures can make a big impact. If you wish you were here, deliver yourself to the online auction catalogue, and find an abundance of small art with a big mission.