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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Andrea Lambrou

Bargain Hunt presenter to host live auction of father's artwork in Lanarkshire hotel

A pop-up auction hosted by Bargain Hunt presenter Natasha Raskin Sharp takes place in Lanarkshire tonight featuring original paintings by her father.

Contemporary Strathaven artist Philip Raskin's artwork will go under the hammer in Strathaven Hotel's Overton Suite at 7pm.

As well as being open to in-room bidders the "affordable" auction - hosted by Natasha's company Exhibit Auctions - will also be broadcast simultaneously online for contemporary art lovers and fans of Philip's stunning abstract work to get involved.

Natasha told Lanarkshire Live this pop-up style of auction is the ideal chance for first time bidders to get a fine art auction experience without the intimidating setting.

And the Antiques Road Trip presenter said it was a "privilege" to be working alongside her beloved dad once again.

Natasha said: "It’s well-documented that my dad is the one who suggested that I pursue a career in the auction world and from there I've gone on to TV programmes which was a case of being in the right place at the right time - I have a lot to thank him for.

"We’re very close so it’s a privilege to work alongside him again and to put his work ‘under the hammer’.

"My dad opened me up to the world of selling contemporary art and now I've come full circle auctioning off his work - it's a nice synchronicity."

A Hint of Pink by Philip Raskin (East Kilbride News)

She added: "What we're offering is the opportunity to buy original artwork at really affordable prices. With a starting auction of £100-£500 there really is something for everyone.

"And unlike regular auctions, zero per cent buyer’s premium is added to the hammer price, so what you bid is what you’ll pay.

"It's a chance to buy some original paintings in a non-intimidating setting and is also a really nice, fun thing to do of an evening!"

Renowned auctioneer Natasha's boutique auction service was founded in lockdown when large gatherings of people were no longer allowed.

As the pandemic forced buyers to bid through the click of a mouse instead of raising their hands at an auction house, Natasha jumped on the opportunity to host virtual sales directly from the artist's studio.

That first auction was broadcast live from none other than her father's Strathaven studio in March 2021.

"With little more than a strong wifi connection, a camera and a laptop, auctioneers can host their sales from virtually anywhere that takes their fancy", said Natasha.

Nuages D'Ecosse by Philip Raskin (East Kilbride News)

"Whilst online bidding is not a new concept, the technology continues to improve and evolve and recent developments have proved to be particularly exciting.

"Exhibit Auctions was founded during lockdown and my dad was a very willing ‘proof of concept’ guinea pig! I sold a body of his work exclusively online and it was such a great success.

"It's really lovely to be able to do an auction with him again - selling his incredible work is always a breeze."

A student of the Glasgow School of Art in the 1960s, Philip postponed his career in art to take up the family business and became a well-known restaurateur and proprietor of Glasgow's The Inn on the Green.

Two decades on he moved his family from the south side of Glasgow to the countryside of Strathaven where he picked up his paint brushes once again, launching a hugely successful career in the arts.

Recognised worldwide for his signature style, the west of Scotland seascapes Philip distills into paint from memory at his home studio are sold, exhibited and collected the world over.

Natasha has presented Bargain Hunt since 2015 after joining the pool of experts in 2013 and hosts a weekly music show on Radio Scotland (Thursdays 10pm-12am).

Flog It Experts Aubery Dawson and Natasha Raskin Sharp take a closer examination of John Divall from Bracknell painting during the filming of BBC Television show Flog It at the Watts Gallery in Compton (Surrey Advertiser)

She appears regularly on Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip and has just been seen in a new Channel 5 programme alongside Susan Calman: ’Susan Calman’s Antiques Adventure’.

This will be Exhibit Auctions’ sixth auction - the last being a fundraiser at The Glasgow Art Club that raised in excess of £25,500 and was donated to The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.

Natasha joked: "Strathaven is full of farmers so this will be something a bit different from the usual livestock auctioning.

"People can relax and bid at home or if you're local you can go along to the Strathaven hotel and enjoy the full in-house auction experience.

"It will be very accessible for first time bidders and those who are familiar with me from TV will get the opportunity to see if I can cut it on the rostrum - anyone can be an auctioneer if they can count!"

The full catalogue for tomorrow's auction can be viewed here.

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