Local and National Artists Donate Artwork to Down East Animal Refuge Silent Auction
By Randall C. Melton, Communications Director, Down East Animal Refuge
SCOTLAND NECK NC – (MARCH 16) –Down East Animal Refuge (DEAR) is having a special fundraiser art auction at Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park and Eco-Center in Scotland Neck on Saturday, April 7, 2007. Viewing begins at 9:00 a.m. and the auction officially begins at 3:00 p.m.
Over 20 local and national artists have donated prints and original work to this special fundraising event. DEAR is featuring several artists each week until the auction on April 7.
This week we feature Paul Antonio. Paul studied Letterform History at the Department of Typography and Graphic Communication, University of Reading (1998). After being awarded one of the ten Art & Crafts Scholarships from The Commonwealth Foundation, he went to Reigate School of Art and Design to study Calligraphy, Gilding and Heraldic Painting specializing in Historical Materials and Techniques. He earned the only Distinction in his year of attendance (2000).Having always been interested in the history and the development of writing as a whole, Paul went on to study Arabic Calligraphy, English Palaeography and Archaeological Illustration at Birkbeck University (2001).
In 2003 Paul went to Egypt as the Assistant Archaeological Illustrator, for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, to copy hieroglyphs. This role now has him illustrating the hieroglyph collection at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London. Here he is also working with the curator on ‘An Egyptian Writing Systems’ course for the undergraduates at UCL and the general public.
Paul currently runs a calligraphy and heraldry practise in London where he teaches calligraphy and handwriting as well as works on commissions for numerous clients. His teaching affords him the opportunity
to teach and lecture at Cambridge, Oxford, Reading, Kings, UCL, and LCC, also at the V&A. and The British Museum. Range of lectures includes a hands-on approach to lettering, alphabet history from 4000BCE to 100BCE and 100BCE to 2000AD and calligraphy classes for calligraphy groups.
Our second featured artist, Brenda Behr holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia and a Master of Fine arts degree from
Syracuse University in New York State. When living and working in Minnesota, Brenda was a very active member of both the Minnesota Watercolor Society in Minneapolis, and the North Star Watercolor Society in St. Paul. She was also a member of “The Breakfast Club”, an ad hoc group of artists, who gathered Wednesday mornings to share information, stimulate discussion concerning exhibitions, competitions, and all things concerning the arts. In June of 2003, after more than 30 years as a successful advertising art director and graphic designer in Minneapolis, Brenda returned to Goldsboro, the city of her youth. In North Carolina she joined “Brushstrokes”, a group comprised of Eastern North Carolina artists. She currently serves on the board of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina, as editor of its newsletter, All Rag. The artist has sold her work in galleries and art centers throughout the state and is quickly growing in popularity and demand. Brenda paints much of her work on location, considering plein aire painting to be the most challenging and evocative way to paint. Brenda is seldom without her sketchbooks and paints. Brenda has donated two prints.
Viewing of all donated artwork will begin when Sylvan Heights opens at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 7. Public viewing will continue until the auction begins promptly at 3:00 p.m. A full list of items available for bidding will be available at the door. Lite snacks and beverages will be served at the conclusion of the auction. The event is scheduled to conclude at 5:00 p.m.
All donated artwork and additional biographical information on the artists is available on our website, www.downeastanimalrefuge.org. The auction brochure is also available for downloading on our site.
DEAR also would like to thank their host, Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Centre & Eco-Park, for taking on this unique event. Sylvan Heights houses the largest collection of rare and endangered waterfowl in the world. DEAR encourages people to come early and tour the facility (there is a ticket fee or membership options). More information concerning the park can be viewed on their web site at www.shwpark.com
If you have a question concerning rabies clinics, adoptions, fundraisers, donations, or the DEAR shelter, please contact Down East Animal Refuge at 252-826-2500, information@downeastanimalrefuge.org, or by visiting the web site at http://www.downeastanimalrefuge.org.
Click here to download a copy of the DEAR Art Auction Brochure (Adobe PDF). Adobe Acrobat reader required to open and print this file. The Art Auction page is updated frequently. Please check back to see recent additions to the auction.