Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – There is still plenty of time to bid on original artwork during the seventh annual Presque Isle Rotary Art Auction, held in conjunction with the Presque Isle Rotary Club Radio/TV Auction.
Contributed photo
THE SEVENTH ANNUAL Presque Isle Rotary Art Auction, held in conjunction with the Presque Isle Rotary Club Radio/TV Auction, is presently under way. This year’s Rotary Art Auction includes eight pieces from local artists. Pictured with some of the artwork are, from left: Rotarians Ginny Joles, Theresa Fowler and Gina LeBlanc-Eggert. Artists participating in the annual Art Auction include Tom Cote and the Top of Maine Carvers, Becky Stepp, Margaret (Hebert) Sullivan Baker, Kenny Lamb, Renee O’Neil, Marcia Simonds, Glenn Capps and Lydia Brown. The auction concludes Thursday, Dec. 3.
Both auctions will conclude Thursday, Dec. 3. This year the event can be heard on Big Country 97 (96.9 FM) and seen on Time Warner Cable Channel 9. It is broadcast live from the Northeastland Hotel from 7-10 p.m.
“This year’s Rotary Art Auction includes eight pieces from local artists; one of which is a collaborative effort with the Top of Maine Wood Carvers which we are very excited about,” said organizer tri-chair and Presque Isle Rotarian Gina LeBlanc-Eggert. “Over the auction’s seven years, it has shown and publicized the work of more than 85 northern Maine artists and raised some significant money for Rotary charities.”
According to LeBlanc-Eggert, the purpose of the Art Auction, besides raising money for charities, is to increase an appreciation of art in northern Maine, and have people become more aware of the many fine artists who live in or have an association with Aroostook County. The auction tries to have a wide diversity of art, including well-known and fairly unknown artists, in a variety of media, with broad geographic coverage of The County.
“The Rotary Art Auction usually raises more than $1,500 each year, or about 5 percent of the money raised through auction proceeds,” said Floyd Rockholt, auction co-chair. “Over the past six years, the art portion of the annual auction has brought in almost $11,500, allowing our club to do a lot of projects in the local area.”
This year, the Art Auction involves fewer artists to give each piece more airtime (one hour compared to a half-hour) and bidding time. This will allow the annual “Rotary resident artist” to be in front of live television cameras more frequently demonstrating their work on the auction floor.
This year’s Rotary resident artist will be Tom Cote, friends from his studio in Limestone and the Top of Maine Wood Carvers. This will be the fourth year he has done work during the Rotary Art Auction.
“Tom has become a regular tradition of the Art Auction,” said Jeff Pangburn, auction co-chair. “All art pieces done during the auction will be part of the Top of Maine Wood Carvers Christmas tree, concluding in the last half-hour of the auction.”
An art item will be presented each hour. The times when each artwork will be auctioned can be found in the auction booklet or on the Presque Isle Rotary Club Web site, www.presqueislerotary.org/events/art auction.
This year’s Rotary artists are Tom Cote and the Top of Maine Carvers, Becky Stepp, Margaret (Hebert) Sullivan Baker, Kenny Lamb, Renee O’Neil, Marcia Simonds, Glenn Capps and Lydia Brown.
Money raised from this year’s auctions will go to support several worthy causes including Catholic Charities of Maine, Central Aroostook Humane Society, Wintergreen Arts Center, Nordic Heritage Center, Presque Isle Historical Society, SAD 1 Emergency Fund and Presque Isle Downtown Revitalization. The Rotary Club’s “Special Project” is to raise an additional $25,000 for the Presque Isle Snowmobile Club to help rebuild the clubhouse that was destroyed by fire in January.
