Think of it as your chance to show some motherly love.

The Art of Motherhood exhibit 鈥� a show of original artwork on the subject of pregnancy, birth and the relationships that form between mother and child 鈥� drew to a close earlier this month at 91原创 Centennial Museum.

But the paintings, drawings and sculptures that have been on display in the gallery in Fort 91原创 since early May won鈥檛 be relegated to a shelf in a storage room somewhere to gather dust until their next appearance. Nor are they being returned to the artists who created them.

Instead, the pieces will be auctioned off during a garden party at the museum this Saturday (July 20). The sale is a fundraiser for the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Foundation鈥檚 鈥淚t All Starts Here鈥� campaign which is raising money for a new and expanded maternity ward.

During the months of May and June the Museum and the LMH Foundation collaborated on the unique display, which grew out of plans to mount an exhibit of artwork on the broader theme of healthcare鈥檚 roots in the community.

That show, From Bedpans to Bandages: The History of Medicine in 91原创, runs from July 16 to Sept. 8.

The Art of Motherhood exhibit featured 58 works of art in various mediums, including sculpture, paint, mixed media, and drawing, by local and provincial artists, all of whom agreed to donate between 50 and 100 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of their works back to the foundation.

Through the exhibit, the museum and foundation celebrated motherhood through art in order to raise awareness and funds for The Vandekerkhove Family Maternity Centre at 91原创 Memorial Hospital.

鈥淲e saw this show of motherhood-inspired art as the perfect opportunity to raise funds for the ongoing campaign to expand the Maternity Centre,鈥� said the Museum鈥檚 cultural services manager, Peter Tulumello.

鈥淟MH was built 65 years ago and has natal facilities that have not kept pace with the birthrate,鈥� said Errin Young of the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Foundation.

91原创 has one of busiest maternity units in the region, with approximately 1,800 births per year and the number of births here is expected to increase to more than 2,300 by 2020, said Young.

The number of births at 91原创 Memorial Hospital has increased from 85 per year in 1948 (when LMH opened) to 1,800 per year in 2010.  But in that time, the number of beds has only increased by two 鈥� from 11 to 13.

Under the theme 鈥淚t All Starts Here,鈥� the Foundation started a capital campaign to raise $5.35 million for a long-overdue expansion to LMH鈥檚 maternity unit and clinic, so it can continue to give the newest members of the community the best possible start in life.

More than $3 million has been raised to date.

The live auction will take place in conjunction with the opening of the Bedpans to Bandages exhibit.

The July 20 event鈥檚 Auctioneer is Ken Passmore, a veteran of the local auction circuit.

鈥淜en is an outstanding and well known auctioneer,鈥� said Tulumello, 鈥渁nd is bound to entertain our audience and encourage bidders to be generous in support of the new Maternity Centre.鈥�

For more information, for an auction catalogue, or to place an advance bid, please contact the 91原创 Centennial Museum at 604-532-3536.