St Luke's Guiding Lights Plymouth 2026
At a glance
St Luke’s Guiding Lights, Plymouth
Summer 2026
41 large lighthouse sculptures + 51 smaller sculptures
Sponsored by Ridge
Charity auction: 1st October 2026
Celestial Beacon sold for £8,400 for St Luke’s Hospice
I was delighted to be selected as one of the artists taking part in St Luke's Guiding Lights, a large-scale public art trail across Plymouth in summer 2026, raising awareness and funds for St Luke's Hospice.
The trail brought together artists, sponsors and local organisations to create 41 individually designed lighthouse sculptures and 51 smaller sculptures, transforming Plymouth into an open-air gallery celebrating creativity, community and the city's rich maritime heritage.
My lighthouse, Celestial Beacon, explores themes of navigation, place and shared experience through the imagery of the night sky.
Inspired by Plymouth's maritime heritage and my ongoing fascination with light after dark, the design combines constellations, stars, fireworks and atmospheric colour with recognisable Plymouth landmarks, including Smeaton's Tower and Plymouth Hoe. Visitors could also download a free constellation guide, encouraging them to spend a little longer discovering the hidden stories woven throughout the artwork.
Fluorescent elements have also been incorporated into the design, allowing parts of the lighthouse to respond under UV light and adding another layer of discovery for those exploring it more closely.
Seeing Celestial Beacon installed on the trail and watching visitors pause to discover its hidden details was one of the highlights of the project. After spending the summer in Plymouth, the lighthouse returned for one final chapter: the St Luke's Guiding Lights charity auction on 1 October 2026.
Online bidding opened at £3,000 and had already reached £3,800 by the time the live auction began. From there, an online bidder and a bidder in the room continued to compete for Celestial Beacon, with the hammer eventually coming down at an incredible £8,400 for St Luke's Hospice.
Watching the auction live from home, I couldn't quite believe it as the bidding kept climbing. After so many hours spent designing, painting and refining the lighthouse, seeing Celestial Beacon raise £8,400 for St Luke's was a wonderful way for the project to end.
The Guiding Lights auction raised an incredible £200,000 in total for St Luke's Hospice Plymouth, making it even more special to know that Celestial Beacon contributed £8,400 towards that fantastic achievement.
Celestial Beacon — The Journey
From the arrival of an enormous blank lighthouse at my home in Newquay to its final moments at the charity auction, this little film captures the story of Celestial Beacon.
Months of painting, thousands of stars, hidden details, a summer on the streets of Plymouth — and an unforgettable £8,400 raised for St Luke's Hospice.
What an incredible journey!
