Donated Paintings
In an effort to both share what I do and be of some service to my community, I
have donated a few paintings here and there.
I donated these two paintings, Acryliquilt and Laser Game, to John and Susan Turchin for a silent auction to benefit the
Banner Elk Fire Department (which had recently lost four firemen in a tragic, freak boating accident).  Acryliquilt was a large
piece, 30" x 40" (unframed) and Laser Game was 24" x 36".

Acryliquit, on the left, was a multi-layered piece which I masked from several angles at different times.  (I probably used $200
worth of paint!)  Lou picked a beautiful, fairly elaborate frame which set it off nicely.  An interesting note, the person who bid
on it first nearly doubled the minimum asking price in his opening bid!

Laser Game has a great story attached to it as well, I think.  This painting was part of my second show, but I had yet to name
it even as I was hanging the show!  Two young sisters, about 8 and 10, started following me around, shyly asking questions
about each piece as I labeled them.  The more they asked (and learned), the more excited they got.  When I got to this
painting, they asked the name.  I said I didn't have one yet, and asked them what they thought it looked like.  The first one
said, "It looks like laser beams."  I said, "Great," and asked the other.  She said, "It looks like a game where you have to get to
the yellow dot without touching any of the purple lines."  Great!  So I asked them how it would be if I named it Laser Game.  
They beamed and said they thought it that was "really cool!"  You should have seen them run, literally squealing to their Mom
when she arrived, to tell her that they had named a painting!  The name stuck.

The framed Acryliquilt painting was valued at $1,350.00.  The gallery mount Laser Game was valued at $350.  Some $20,000
was raised for the B.E.F.D.
The two paintings above were done on cedar shingles from my family home in the mountains of NC,
when the siding was replaced.  The house was built sometime between 1850 and 1875 in a lower
pasture, then moved - rolled on logs, pulled by mule teams! - up the hill about a quarter mile!

I mixed the paint to approximate a nicely groomed (American) green clay tennis court, then splattered
the lines to create a sense of motion (even though lines are static).  I added Ball Prints in the Clay to the
one of the left.  The yellow swirl on the right side painting indicates Crazy Spin.

I donated these two original, signed paintings to a silent auction put together by Paula Smart of
COMPANY NAME**** to benefit "Friends for Life," a volunteer animal rescue group which works very
hard to place pound animals close to being exterminated.  (Our own wonderful Gracie came from them.)  
Cathy Henninger, herself a wonderful artist, works tirelessly to find homes for the many abandoned pets
in the area.  I was happy to contribute these small tennis-themed works to their tennis-themed benefit!

The original pricing was $40 for the larger painting, $25 for the smaller one.
I donated the above framed piece "Metalware" to a group of local women who call themselves The
Wandas. Each year, The Wandas put on a Wanda Ball to benefit OASIS  (Opposing Abuse with
Services, Information, and Shelter) here in Watauga County.  Attendees (who are encouraged to
dress up...oddly) purchase tickets and there is a silent auction of donated items.  All proceeds go to
OASIS, and each year the Wandas raise several thousands of dollars for this very worthwhile cause.

The fun note about this piece, Metalware, is that the guy who wanted it, wanted it badly.  He was
really worried that someone else would slip in at the last moment and outbid him.  So, he kept going
back and made sure he was the last to bid.  He bid it up pretty high,,,and won!  Our favorite Wanda,
Belinda Pardue, said that he was so excited he was giggling.  That made her, and me, feel great.

The original pricing for this piece was about $175.
If you would like to contact me regarding my donating
a piece of work to your WORTHY cause, please feel
free to contact me here for donations.