Ozzy Osbourne's chimp paintings up for auction

Alice Cullinane
BBC News, West Midlands
Kamil Szkopik A man is wearing a black top and sunglasses while holding a painting in each hand. The painting on the left has a black background and a green middle. The painting on the right is filled with purple and cream brushstrokes.Kamil Szkopik
Ozzy Osbourne said painting gave him peace of mind

If you're obsessed with Ozzy Osbourne, you might be tempted to purchase his latest quirky creation.

The music legend has produced an abstract art collection with chimpanzees from Florida to raise funds for the animal sanctuary Save the Chimps.

Five canvases are going under the hammer at Omega Auctions in Newton-Le-Willows, Merseyside, with current bids sitting at more than £2,000 a painting.

The artworks are signed by Ozzy and named after his songs and albums: Technical Ecstasy, Electric Funeral, Blizzard of Ozz, Tattooed Dancer and Paranoid.

Ozzy painted acrylic base coats onto the canvases and then the apes at the sanctuary added their own brushstrokes.

The auction house is offering art viewings by appointment on Monday before the auction closes on 17 July.

Kamil Szkopik A man is wearing a black top and sunglasses and is standing in front of five painted canvases. He is holding his hands in the air and has a banana in his mouth.Kamil Szkopik
Ozzy has signed each canvas with current bids standing at more than £2,000 each

"I paint because it gives me peace of mind, but I don't sell my paintings," Ozzy said.

"I've made an exception with these collaborations as it raises money for Save the Chimps, a sanctuary for hundreds of apes rescued from labs, roadside zoos and wildlife traffickers," he added.

Sharon Osbourne said that the paintings would not only raise "much needed" funds for the sanctuary, but would promote its awareness to the public.

Kamil Szkopik A man and woman are both wearing black and looking shocked at paintings on a table. Kamil Szkopik
The finished paintings were shown to the Osbourne's ahead of Ozzy's final performance

The chimps enjoy taking part in a range of activities at the sanctuary in Florida, from food puzzles and foraging to pictures books and painting, Save the Chimps said.

"Painting is just one of many enrichment activities we offer our residents," director Dan Mathews said.

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