A PICTURE of a rescued bear by an award-winning artist will help save more animals after being auctioned at a gala night that raised more than £85,000.

Lisa Ann Watkins from Ruardean attended the star-studded event at London’s Plaisterers Hall, when her portrait of Quantock the moon bear helped boost funds for the Animals Asia charity.

The pet portrait and wildlife artist, who has recently returned from a sell-out workshop tour of America, was originally inspired to do the artwork after visiting the largest bear sanctuary in the world, Libearty, in Romania.

She said: “I worked closely with Animals Asia’s Jill Robinson to tell the story of the moon bears and a very special bear called Quantock, and held an exhibition at Taurus Crafts in Lydney entitled If You Go Down to the Woods Today.

“Through her voice and my artwork, I told the story of the thousands of moon bears held and tortured in captivity, and farmed for their bile for the Chinese bear bile industry, which is so sad.

“Jill’s work in closing down these farms and educating hearts and minds around the globe is just amazing and my original piece of artwork was of course donated to their annual gala event to help fundraise.”

The artist rubbed shoulders at the Friday, November 17, gala night with stars such as actor Peter Egan, actresses Rula Lenska and Virginia McKenna, and rock star Rick Wakeman.

“I am so honoured to have played such a small part in this amazing event and was also very much in awe to meet these people, who really are making a difference in the world of wildlife campaigning,” added Lisa Ann.

“It was a reminder that despite the cruelty we witness everyday online and in the papers, that for just one precious night, a venue in London had brought together hundreds of like-minded people with empathy, kindness and a willingness to stand up and take action all together under one roof. I came home full of inspiration to give more animals a voice with my future work.”

Thousands of moon bears, also known as Asian black bears, are farmed in China alongside sun bears and brown bears for their bile, used in traditional medicine.

Jill Robinson said of the “cruel and barbaric” industry: “Bile is extracted using various painful, invasive techniques, all of which cause massive infection in the bears.

“Most farmed bears are kept in tiny cages, and they are starved, dehydrated and suffer from multiple diseases and malignant tumours that ultimately kill them.”

But since being freed to live in a bear sanctuary, Quantock is now “a happy and contented bear” who loves nothing better than romping with his bear friends like a “social tornado.”