Artist’s estate makes ‘transformative’ gift to the London Public Library

A late London artist has left a significant donation to the London Public Library, which LPL called ‘transformative.’

Officials with the London Public Library say they’ve received a transformative gift.

The estate of Rudolph “Rudy” Sparkuhl has contributed a $500,000 donation.

Sparkuhl was an artist known for his photo-realistic paintings. Born in Speyer, Germany, Sparkuhl’s family travelled to Montreal in 1957 as a boy. They ultimately moved to London where Sparkuhl continued to live and create. He died in March, 2024.

An announcement of the donation was made Wednesday afternoon during a gathering in Sherwood Forest Mall, just outside the Sherwood Library Branch.

Library Board CEO Michael Ciccone said the donation will be used to create a common area in the Sherwood Branch, which is currently under renovation.

According to Ciccone, “[Sparkuhl] wanted no recognition for it whatsoever. He just gave it to the library to do what we thought was best with the money. That’s an incredible, incredible gift for the library. And we’re very, very happy to apply it to this branch.”

Board officials say the common area will be home to some of Sparkuhl’s artwork and will be used to foster learning and creativity.

Rudy’s longtime friend Shelley Birenbaum helped facilitate the donation, “He both would have admired the educational focus and the access piece of libraries, as well as being a place for people to go to. He understood that people could have a hard time and needed a place of comfort.”