Back in 2012 when Ian McKellen was in New Zealand working on The Hobbit, airbrush artist Talia Pearson asked him to sign some of her work. Talia had painted a tribute to The Hobbit – on a car bonnet! The idea was to gift the bonnet to charity. Sir Ian did. of course, oblige and later that year the bonnet, picturing Gandalf and Bilbo, was auctioned for the charity CanTeen, which helps youngsters with cancer. The bonnet raised NZ$2,500 and was bought by a bidder from New Zealand’s North Island.
The following pictures of Sir Ian and the car bonnet are from Talia’s Facebook page.
via Talia Pearson Facebook
Via Talia Pearson Facebook
via Talia Pearson Facebook
via Talia Pearson Facebook
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Author: eviebowman
Evie was introduced to Tolkien's work by her boyfriend, over a beer in the Eagle and Child pub in Oxford. She went home, read the books and, a while later, married her boyfriend. She has only recently discovered fandom, after years of eye-rolling by her husband and children, and is delighted to find it warm and welcoming and not-at-all weird. As well as tracking down bits of news and sharing them with others, she leads ponies for Riding for the Disabled and loves the cinema and theatre and her wildlife garden.