Local artist Jim Scullion has spent his entire life creating detailed paintings of football legends. His paintings of footballers and other athletes have been sold at auction or raffled off around the globe to fetch in excess of £5.5 million for charity. Now, Scottish football team Celtic is benefitting from Jim’s magic brushstrokes as one of his paintings raised money in aid of preventing Motor Neurons Disease; a condition that has directly affected members of the football club.
Celtic football hero Jimmy Johnstone was the subject of one of Jim’s paintings, which the footballer subsequently signed before he died of the degenerative disease. The painting was commissioned to be turned into a postcard printing by Celtic Football Club.
Scullion spoke about his work, saying:
“I can give one of these to a local charity and they can get a couple of hundred pounds and that’s brilliant. I’m happy with that.”
The postcard reproduction of Jim’s original painting was sold to raise funds for charities fighting Motor Neurons Disease, which was especially significant since it took Johnstone’s life. The original painting was bought for £20,000 and then gifted back to Celtic Football Club to allow them to carry out this fundraising work. Scullion has also helped raise funds close to Celtic’s sporting rivals, Rangers, proving that charity transcends football rivalry.