Robyn’s portraits of Queen rock star Adam Lambert raise thousands for charity

Artist Robyn Garside’s portraits of the American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert have raised almost £2,000 for the Touch of Sparkle appeal.

The Grammy Award-nominated American signer, who has performed with rock legends Queen, signed her four paintings when the pair met after a gig in Birmingham.

Robyn, who is from Birkenshaw, runs mobile photography and portrait business Clennett Creations in Dewsbury with her partner James Clennett.

“I’m quite shocked, I wasn’t expecting the portraits to sell for that much money,” she said.

“It felt surreal meeting him, I go to all his concerts.

“Adam obviously has a massive fan base and if it was just painting of something else I don’t think I’d have raised so much.”

The portraits were listed on Ebay on September 13 for one week.

They fetched a combined total of £1919 for the Touch of Sparkle Appeal, which supports Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, and provide care packages for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Robyn, 25, said: “I saw the charity on Twitter and I thought I might be able to help to raise a couple hundred pounds by doing some portraits in my spare time.

“I have had family members with cancer so the charity is quite close to home.

“It’s the first time I have done anything like this for charity but I feel like I have achieved quite a lot.

“Helping someone who is going through that is a nice thing to do.”

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Her latest project comes after Grammy Award-winning artist Pink asked for a portrait Robyn painted of her to be shipped to her US home last November.

Emily Willdigg, community fundraising assistant at the charity, said: “We are so grateful to Robyn for supporting the Touch of Sparkle appeal in this way.

“She has raised a fantastic amount of money and her portraits are wonderful. We’re very excited that Adam Lambert was so keen to support Robyn and her fundraising efforts in aid of our chemotherapy patients.

“We have had many positive comments about how lovely and thoughtful the Touch of Sparkle packs are, and they have really made a difference to the experience of our patients.”

Click here for more information about the charity and the appeal.