ATM specialises in painting birds threatened with extinction. 1439 bird species are now in serious decline across the world, including 67 species in Britain, one of which is the Little Owl, whose numbers have declined by over 60% in recent years.

ATM has had a lifelong love for nature and particularly birds, their songs, calls and habitats. He uses his skills as an artist to celebrate the beauty of birds and communicate the extinction crisis. His giant wildlife murals fill walls across the UK, from London to Bristol and on to Poland and Norway.

ATM uses his art to inspire people to take part in local regeneration efforts and believes that small changes repeated on a large scale can have dramatic effects.

His fabulous owl, Athene noctua, the scientific name for Little Owls, was displayed outside the Assembly Rooms in Bath last summer and was so realistic that no seagulls would come anywhere near him when he was out on duty.  As soon as he was wheeled indoors at night, the seagulls would return!

We need a whole ‘parliament’ of Little Owls around the city!

Last year’s popular public art event has been nominated as a finalist in two categories – Events and new Civic Award.  The glittering Bath Life Awards night will be held at the Assembly Rooms in Bath on 28th February 2019.

Congratulations to the hard-working Owls of Bath team and all of our fabulous sponsors, artists and helpers for your fantastic support.  All feathers crossed!

https://www.bathlifeawards.co.uk/

‘Snowy’, AKA ‘Hedwig’, had been living with Chris Packham in the New Forest for four months waiting to be decorated, but as Chris was so busy filming over the summer he didn’t have a chance to paint him, so Bath artist Charlotte Moore decorated him as a beautiful Snowy Owl.  Snowy has now flown off to his new home in Bear Flat in Bath.

BEAKY THE OWLET – Beaky, who was part of the summer’s owl trail, was decorated by Bath College and sponsored by Bath BID, and will now be nesting in a garden in Sherbourne.

Congratulations to the successful bidders. Snowy and Beaky are looking forward to being in their new homes for Christmas!

Snowy and Beaky at the Owls of Bath pop up shop in New Bond Street during the Bath Christmas Market

Beaky on display opposite Bath College this summer 

The Owls of Bath will have a chalet on the night, up at the top of Milsom Street, so swoop over to pick up your Owl goodies for Christmas!

Owls of Bath mugs, posters, the official book of the project, postcards, children’s colouring books and tea-t’owls all available at special prices.

We will also be at the Family Christmas Market in Queen Square every Saturday during the market, including 24th November, 1st and 8th December.

Look forward to seeing you!

The Owls of Bath books, colouring books, posters, tea-t’owls and mugs are £7, children’s colouring books are just £3 and postcards 50p.

We are also launching our limited edition Owls of Bath calendar – just a few available tomorrow (Saturday) and also via the shop page of the website next week.

Hope to see you tomorrow!

Once a month, the lively late-night events transform the city streets with evening entertainment, shopping and dining.

Fill your bags with goodies from independent boutiques and high street favourites across the city. As you stroll down Union Street, browse market stalls showcasing handmade products from local artisans and producers.

Owls of Bath books, posters, mugs and tea-t’owls will make fantastic Christmas presents – the perfect gift for owl fans everywhere!

(Photo taken at Bradford on Avon’s Frida Owlo celebrations)

The £100 of SouthGate vouchers were won by Vanessa Lopez and the full set of Horrible Histories books, signed by writer Terry Deary and illustrator Martin Brown, was won by Sally Henley from Bath. Julian Beglar from the UAE won the Jessica Palmer owl collage and art books. Other winners have been informed of their prizes. Thanks to everyone who entered.

See the photo gallery of auction night.

The auction, held at The Apex Hotel in Bath, raised a phenomenal £139,200, befitting four charities in the South West – Royal United Hospital Cancer Centre, Bath Young Carers Centre, Roman Baths Archway Project and UK Little Owl Project.

Bidding on the 61 owls took place in a room of hundreds of excitable buyers, as well as online, where owl fans from around the world got in on the action. In total, over half of the night’s sales were made by online bidders through TheAuctionRoom.com

The stand out stars of the flock were Octavius designed by Joanna Dewfall which went for £7,500 followed by fan favourite JK Owling by Jo McCarron which sold for £5,500 and Festiv’owl created by Horrible Histories illustrator Martin Brown which was won for a successful bid of £4,000.

Bubo, by artist Jane Skuse, which was displayed at the Roman Baths this summer, will be making the 1200 mile trip to Budapest after first enchanting the Walker when they visited the Minerva’s Owls of Bath trail this summer.

The event was hosted by auctioneer Addison Gelpey, star of Channel 5’s ‘Storage, Flog the Lot’. He was assisted by Olympic Gold medallist Amy Williams MBE who painted her very own owlet for the occasion which was first unveiled to the public at the Owls of Bath Hoot Farewell Weekend in September.

Guests at the auction were also treated to live music by a live musical performance by 15-year-old Bath busker and finalist of ITV The Voice Kids, Harry Romer.

Megan Witty, event organiser commented, “The auction has proved to be a fitting finale for the Minerva’s Owls of Bath. We’re so happy that after bringing so much fun and colour to the city over the summer, the beautifully decorated owls have also raised much-needed funds for our four partner charities. The money will directly benefit the lives of thousands of people in Bath and the surrounding area and will leave a legacy for many years to come.”

Top Ten Lots – by amount

All Lots – chronological

See the photo gallery of auction night.

OWLS FOR SALE – All 58 of the full size owls and 3 of the owlets will be on sale. 100% of event profits will be donated to four amazing Bath charities.

BID ONLINE – The auction will also be online at The Auction Room.  Register and bid for your favourite owl from anywhere in the world!

THE AUCTION – Greg Ingham, Chair of Creative Bath and Media Clash will be hosting the evening and charity auctioneer Addison Gelpey will be taking the bids. Olympic gold medalist Amy Williams MBE, who has painted OWLympus the Owlet, will help auction some of the owls.  As well as viewing all 61 owls and owlets being auctioned, you can also have your photo taken with Pip the real Little Owl and printed out to take home. BBC Points West is planning to broadcast live from the the event.

AUCTION TICKETS – include the Big Hoot bubbly reception, a selection of savoury dishes, desserts, cheese & fruit platter and owl chocolates, with table service and a cash bar. Drinks for the table can be pre-ordered at discounted prices. Tickets are £37.50 + VAT (£45 inc VAT) via Eventbrite (+ booking fee) or via the shop page of the website or by BACS by emailing auction@minervasowls.org.

Why not make up a table?  It’ll be a memorable hoot of an evening!

BIDDING – There will be four ways to bid for owls on 17th October.

– In person at the live auction at the Apex Hotel (please complete Bidder Registration Form at the top of this page)
– Online at www.theauctionroom.com (register online with The Auction Room)
– By phone in to the live auction (please complete Telephone & Absentee Bidding Form at the top of this page)
– By leaving an absentee bid for Bonhams to bid on your behalf (please complete Telephone & Absentee Bidding Form at the top of this page)

Owls bidding is expected to start at £1,000.

OWL ARTISTS – The owls have been decorated by a wide range of talented artists and designers, including BP Portrait Award artist Richard Twose; celebrated Bristol street artists Inkie and Cheba; Horrible Histories book illustrator Martin Brown; Elle Decoration Design Awards winner Lisa Todd; Bath surrealist artist Philip Bouchard; Olympic Gold Medallist Amy Williams MBE  and several of the UK’s leading creative design companies, all of whom have transformed the once identical owl sculptures to unique and collectable works of art.

OWLS OF BATH CHARITIES  – 100% of event profits will be donated to: – The new Royal United Hospital Cancer and Therapies Centres – Bath Young Carers’ Centre (a vital resource for children who look after ill, frail or disabled family members) – Roman Baths Archway Project (opening up secret Roman tunnels & creating a new World Heritage education centre) – UK Little Owl Project (based in Bath and working to protect Little Owls, whose numbers have declined by over 60% in recent years.

We can finally reveal the winner (and solution) to the The Ys and Where 4s puzzle! This striking puzzle owl kept residents and visitors busy over the summer – it was a tough challenge! We received a whole host of entries and guesses, but only 7 correct answers.

The winner is Charlie Froud from Bath, who figured out the real name of the owl from the hidden number 4s in the feathers. As he explains “After finding the five 4s I used the first letters of the colour of the 4s to figure out the name”. Simple when you know how!

The Ys and Where 4s puzzle will be auctioned on Wednesday 17 October at the Apex hotel along with 62 “Owls of Bath”. Ys is Lot number 7, you can bid at the event, or online here: https://live.theauctionroom.com/auction-014/itemDetails/764/278472

In a final twist, there is now a SECOND (even more difficult) challenge/puzzle to complete. Hidden within Ys feathers is another name – the owl’s father. The prize this time is a merchandise package – including a Mini Owl (worth £49), an Owl Poster and Mug. The Ys and Where 4s can currently be seen in Jolly’s House of Fraser on Milsom Street. Will Challenge #2 be solved before the auction, or will the name remain a mystery? Clues are released at https://twitter.com/theYswhere4s.