11th Annual Maine Artists at Maine Audubon Auction to be held September 26

Image above: Afternoon Chop (Detail) by Louise Bourne

FALMOUTH, Maine, September 15, 2008—Connecting Maine artists inspired by nature with an organization working to protect it, the 11th annual Maine Artists at Maine Audubon art auction will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, September 26, at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth.

A silent auction of art and other items starts at 6 p.m. with guest emcees Kim Block of WGME and Amy Sinclair of New England Cable News., followed at 7:30 p.m. with the live auction hosted by well-known Maine auctioneer Kaja Veilleux.

Over its 11 years, the auction has become a premier collection of work by some of Maine’s finest artists, who give back to the nature in which they find inspiration by helping support Maine Audubon. Proceeds from art sales go toward the organization’s work to conserve Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat.

Contributing sculptures, paintings, photographs jewelry, textiles and ceramics to benefit Maine Audubon, the artists feel a close tie to the event’s goal of celebrating the connection of art and nature.

“I see it as giving back to the woods through the work of Maine Audubon, an organization I know will do well by it,” said artist Carmen Menjivar of Portland, whose donated work, “The Soul of the Trees,” represents the peace she found in the Maine woods after her mother’s death.

“When you create art from nature, you provide a way to share these beautiful moments with other people,” said photographer Jim Nickelson of Camden, whose auction work shows Penobscot Bay bathed in the light of a moonrise. “You can bring that wonder and beauty to people who might not have seen it before, and maybe make them want to preserve it.”

“That connection means just about everything to me—that’s my inspiration,” said Ellen Morin from Falmouth, who captured Mount Katahdin in her auction painting. “I think Maine Audubon is a great cause and we need to preserve Maine’s nature as much as we can.”

Artwork can currently be previewed online at www.maineaudubon.org/artauction or at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center starting Friday, September 19.

Well-known artists participating in this year’s auction include Angela Adams, Colin Barclay, Eline Barclay, Mary Bourke, Louise Bourne, Alan Bray, Julie Freund, Phillip Frey, Kathleen Galligan, Bruce Habowski, Lindsay Hancock, Phoebe Porteous, Holly Ready, and Marguerite Robichaux.

Tickets are $45 each or $75 for two and include hors d’oeuvres, drinks and dessert. Tickets will be available at the event.

Maine Artists at Maine Audubon is sponsored by: Spectrum Medical Group, Spinnaker Trust, Whole Foods Market, Chalmers Insurance, Lee Auto Malls, Maine Bank & Trust, MPX/Maine Printing, OneBeacon Insurance, Walden Asset Management, Baker Newman & Noyes, Brown Goldsmiths, New Technologies, Piper Shores, and Verrill Dana.

MAINE AUDUBON works to conserve Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation and action. For more than 160 years, Maine Audubon has been connecting people with nature and leading science-based conservation in major projects across the state. An independent affiliate of Audubon’s national organization, Maine Audubon has seven local chapters, 10 nature centers and sanctuaries, and 11,000 members and supporters.

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