Starpoint Art Auction raises funds from Visiting Artist program

Pendleton — Students at the Starpoint Central School District get a unique opportunity to learn about art from professionals. For the past few years, the Visiting Artist program has brought artists into the schools to work with the students and share their experiences.

To continue this program in the future, the fourth annual Art Auction will take place Saturday, April 21. The event will be from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Fine Arts corridor at Starpoint High School, entrance D.

This auction and program was established through the Dale L. Askey Memorial Fund. This fund is in memory of Dale L. Askey, son of Jim and Diane Askey, who was very passionate about Starpoint and creating an art courtyard. After Dale’s death, many donations were made in his honor for the creation of the courtyard. It has since been renamed the Dale L. Askey Memorial Art Courtyard, and features a mini-amphitheater for outdoor classes and sculptures and art by Starpoint students.

Diane said that after the courtyard was constructed, they “didn’t want to stop there.”

“We felt we had to promote these programs,” she said. “We wanted to assure the courtyard would be used for visual and performing arts in the future.”

Every year, the net proceeds of the auction are made available for students to learn about art, above and beyond the budgeted school curriculum.



This year’s auction will feature between 60 and 80 works of art, created by students, teachers, community members and professional artists.

Diane said that many “gifted” students submitted work from various class projects. Some of the students’ works are pieces created with the assistance of a visiting artist in the prior year.

There will also be pieces from four professional artists who are affiliated with the Buffalo group Emerging Leaders in the Arts Buffalo. Artists include Marcus Wise, Rachel Sandle, Rich Thomasello and Dana Saylor.

Diane said there will be a piece from Chuck Tingley, an artist who visited the school in the fall for the Visiting Artist program and helped the students create a mural at Starpoint Middle School.

Water color paintings from two other previous visiting artists, Kathleen Giles and Virginia Kelley, will also be auctioned off, along with a “valuable piece” from Catherine Burchfield Parker, the daughter of American watercolorist Charles Burchfield, said Diane. The piece is entitled “After Glow” and is one of Parker’s earlier works.



Diane said the silent auction would feature photography, framed art, paintings and furniture. There will also be lower priced gift items for sale in the mini art store.

The auction will feature a large basket raffle, door prizes and a 50/50 drawing. There is no admission charge. The evening will also feature live jazz music from the Russ Carere Trio and hors d’ouevres and beverages will be served.

Those attending will also get to see a demonstration of the creation of glass art. Marcelo Florencio of Florencio Glass Studio will perform a demonstration during the evening. Florencio will be the next visiting artist, who will teach the students glass art in the week following the auction.

For more information about the auction, Visiting Artist program or the Dale L. Askey Memorial Fund visit www.dalesfund.com. Any one still wishing to donate art can do so through Thursday.