The Variety Club of Jersey commissioned full-time artist Kevin Pallot in November to paint a beach scene for the new treatment centre which the charity has spent £27,000 designing and installing.
The centre was opened last month, but Mr Pallot was told he would not be paid for the work until he agreed to remove the words Side By Side which a figure in the painting has written in the sand.
‘I think it’s just wrong,’ he said.
‘Side By Side wasn’t a charity when I painted it.
I put it there because I wanted people to remember what the Island had done and I thought it would be a conversation point between parents and children.
I am passionate about the cause and I thought the Island would feel it was appropriate to put it there.’ The Variety Club of Jersey’s chief barker, Jim Rotheram, confirmed that Mr Pallot had been paid for the painting.
‘I understand his view as an artist, but it wasn’t what we wanted,’ he said.
‘It was an amicable agreement.
What he produced didn’t meet our requirements, he agreed to amend it and as a result he was paid.
‘Side By Side is not relevant – people might think the charity Side By Side had paid for it.
We are very pro Side By Side – Variety International have paid significant sums to the tsunami appeal – but every Variety Club raises money for people in that location.
This is for children in Jersey.
We wanted something with children to relate to Variety.
Why didn’t he put the heart on it or something to signify Variety? ‘Variety will always be there to help Jersey children after Side By Side has finished.’
