A LEGENDARY Southend artist has had his last piece of art unveiled in its new permanent home outside a south Essex hospice, as a lasting legacy to the artist.

Paul Karslake, 61, was known across Southend for his work, but sadly died at the start of the pandemic.

Before his death, he had been commissioned to produce a custom piece of art to stand outside the new Fair Havens building in Prittlewell, which opened in March 2020, sadly Paul was unable to finish this.

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However, he had designed and crafted “Leporum Fisher” to help launch the Havens Hospices “Hares About Town” Art Trail.

To pay tribute to Paul, the Havens Hospice brought back the Leporum Fisher with the help of a crowdfunding campaign last year - which raised more than £20,000.

It was agreed that the sculpture would be Paul’s lasting legacy to the charity and the community of Southend, which he loved.

On Wednesday, the 6ft high hare sculpture was unveiled and placed upon a plinth outside Fair Havens on Priory Crescent.

Paul’s wife, Sandra was in attendance to see the sculpture at its forever home and said it is a fitting tribute.

She said: “Paul was proud to be asked to paint the first Hare for the Havens Hospices event, Hares about Town.

“He enjoyed taking the hare around Southend to help promote the event with the team.

“He realised what a wonderful and important place like Havens Hospices is to the local community, particularly after his mother became unwell. Living in Devon, she did not have the support that a place like Fair Havens offers local families.

“Paul’s hare, Leporum Fisher, has even more meaning since Paul’s death in March 2020 as it is part of Paul that lives on.

“It is a fitting tribute that it is now permanently on display at Fair Havens in Southend.”

Louise Gloyne, from Havens Hospices, knew Paul and his family.

She added: “Instead of the commissioned piece for the hospice that Paul could not sadly complete, we were lucky to be able to have Leporum Fisher, the first hare sculpture by Paul, brought back to the new hospice as his forever home.

“It seems only right that Paul is the first artist credited with a piece at the new hospice building.”

Hares About Town was the first public art trail organised by Havens Hospices, with its second coming in 2023, called Herd In The City.