The recent 'Postcards from Tenby' art exhibition at Tenby Museum organised by the Friends of Tenby Museum and Art Gallery raised just over £2,000.

Well-known Pembrokeshire artists and Friends of the Museum generously donated postcard-sized original paintings completely free of charge for the exhibition.

All the paintings were displayed anonymously. The artists had signed their works on the reverse so purchasers were unaware whose work they had purchased until they collected the item.

The exhibition opened on the evening of Friday, September 20, when a large crowd of art lovers closely examined the paintings hoping to find a bargain.

And bargains there were, with original paintings by artists of the calibre of Gwilym Prichard, Claudia Williams, John Uzzell Edwards, Naomi Tydeman, Elizabeth Haines, Mark Raggett, Bob Reeves, Olivia Argent, Julian Brown, Graham Hadlow, David Bellamy and Jenny Keal to name only a few.

Les Crascall, chair of the Friends, welcomed everyone to the event and explained the buying process.

A silent auction had been arranged for the opening night, with a minimum bid of £25.

Sheets of paper were displayed where prospective buyers could enter their bids until a bell was sounded at 7.30 pm signalling the end of the bidding process.

Any paintings not sold on the opening night were then available at the fixed price of £25.

Les then introduced the museum's president, well known broadcaster and writer, Jamie Owen, who formally opened the exhibition and urged those present to be generous with their bids, as all the money was going to museum funds.

Les then presented Jamie with a lapel pin featuring a Pembrokeshire flag.

While people were enjoying a glass or two of wine and discussing the merits of individual pictures and who the artist may be, Rebecca Naden was busy selling raffle tickets for a painting donated by artist and museum trustee David Morgan.

Jamie Owen made the draw for the picture at the end of the evening.

Throughout the evening it was notable how much of a 'buzz' there was in the gallery.

This was easily the best opening night of any museum exhibition this year.

The idea for the exhibition was originally proposed by Janet Lewis, the treasurer of the Friends, at a committee meeting earlier in the year.

The Friends committee (Les Crascall, Dorothy Bailey, Anne Draper, Janet Lewis, Rebecca Naden, Ian Nicholls, Jo Tasker, Bryan Turnbull, Sue Turnbull, and Neil Westerman) along with museum staff developed and fine-tuned the idea to produce an excellent exhibition and fundraiser for the museum.

The money raised (over £2,000) is to be spent on conservation work on paintings in the museum's permanent collection.

The Friends would like to sincerely thank all the artists who contributed works to the exhibition along with the museum staff who assisted on the evening, especially Mark Lewis and Thelma Mort who hung the exhibition.

If you were there on the opening night or visited the exhibition during the following week and are still wondering who painted what, a special folder has been prepared providing the answer to that question.

It is available for inspection in the museum's café.

If you missed the exhibition and would like to know in advance when similar events are taking place, why not join the Friends' organisation.

Details are available at the museum. If you would like to play a more active role and help organise and run similar events, why not join the small and friendly committee.

If you are interested, please enquire at the museum.

The Friends' secretary, Neil Westerman, stated that as the event had proved to be so successful and popular with local people, they hope to organise a similar event for next year.

Neil added that the next fundraising event organised by the Friends is a Quiz Night at Tenby Bowling Club on Thursday, October 17.

All are welcome.