Owners of the South Hill Gallery, Linda and Roland Gumbert, had planned only of opening their year of exhibitions with a tribute to the man who had been their patron, and who had early on declared the gallery the "new Yellow House", recalling the famous Potts Point haven for artists in the 1960s.

The eccentric Sharp embraced both elite and popular art. He created posters and album covers for Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan, and his version of the famous "Eternity" graffiti was featured in many of his works.

When Sharp died, aged 71, the Gumberts put out a call for local artists to contribute works for a tribute to Sharp and were quickly inundated.

"We thought, we'll call it Art for Mart and ask local artists to put in artwork they love that's a tribute to Martin," Ms Gumbert said.

"Martin always said he painted things that were significant to him, so the idea was that artists would submit works that were of things that were significant for them, or for Martin. But it's almost turned into a retrospective, so much so that one of the galleries we've hung out entirely with Martin's friends' memorabilia - either works that are of him, for him or that he's collaborated on."

She said she and her husband had been thrilled by the response The exhibition, which opens on Saturday, will have the works of more than 80 artists, with many of them for sale.

"Some works are so precious that they've been transported here merely because the owner or creator felt they were essential to this tribute. They are not for sale, but most works are," she said.

Putting on such a big show in a rural gallery was "full on", Ms Gumbert said.

''My husband is having a nervous breakdown. But [with] seven galleries, we're lucky. That's the joy of living in Goulburn and not in Paddington. We are able to hang a show like this under one roof."

Art for Mart opens on Saturday, March 15, at South Hill Gallery in Goulburn, and runs until March 30.