NEW YORK – Carrie Sunday, a dynamic young star on New York’s art scene, has created a buzz practically from day one with her colorful abstract works created from paint chip samples and glue. Strikingly original with their manipulated bas-relief shapes enhanced with painted and razored numbers, letters, tactile Braille dots and whatever else strikes the artist’s fancy, Sunday’s works ordinarily are available through only two sources: her permanent installation at Saks Fifth Avenue, New York; or the Scape Gallery in Newport Beach, California. But on Saturday, Sept. 25, a third venue will be added to the list for one night only when Sunday’s 30 by 50-inch work titled Spot II/Isolation is offered in a live auction to benefit Main Line Animal Rescue (MLAR) of Chester Springs (suburban Philadelphia), Pa. Absentee bids are being accepted. After seeing a special episode of Oprah that profiled Main Line and made her aware of the organization’s mission of rescuing and re-homing abused, unwanted and abandoned animals, especially victims of southeastern Pennsylvania’s infamous puppy mills, Sunday contacted the shelter to ask how she could help. “Living in New York, it was really too long a drive roundtrip for me to become involved as a hands-on volunteer on weekends, so I started thinking about what else I could do to make a difference. I asked if I could donate a piece of artwork,” Sunday said. Needless to say, the shelter’s management was overwhelmed with the generosity of Sunday’s offer. Sunday took it one step further, pledging to donate an artwork to MLAR every year for the rest of her life. “It was very important for me to help this shelter,” Sunday said. “I learned about the horror of puppy mills the hard way. I had bought a dog from a pet store, and it died five days later. I was fighting with the pet store to return my money, and I had $600 in vet bills. Worst of all, I no longer had my dog. Now I have three of the most beautiful dogs, two of which are rescues. One is a rare German breed – a Biewer Yorkie. Most people don’t realize that, if a purebred dog is what they have their heart set on, they are often available from rescues.” At the time Sunday made contact with MLAR, their volunteer staff was in the process of planning a major fundraising event known as the Wag ’n Train, an outdoor party that includes both live and silent auction components. Sunday selected the artwork she wanted to donate – a creation that had taken her six months to complete – loaded it into her car and personally transported it to the Chester Springs shelter. Because the artwork is such an extraordinary – and valuable – item, Main Line Animal Rescue is opening the bidding to anyone who wishes to call or e-mail an absentee bid. All left bids will be handled confidentially and lodged competitively by the event’s auctioneer, Courtney Booth, of Sotheby’s New York. Meet Carrie Sunday and bid in person on her artwork at the Main Line Animal Rescue Wag ’n Train party and auction, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010 at Pickering Meade Farm, site of Main Line Animal Rescue, Chester Springs, Pa., from 5 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online at www.mlar.org. Click on “Register for Events.” To place an absentee bid on Carrie Sunday’s artwork titled Spot II/Isolation, valued at $9,500, call 610-933-1164 or e-mail donate@mlar.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Absentee bids will be accepted till 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010. Note: If the winning bidder cannot pick up artwork, they must make their own arrangements to have it crated and shipped. Visit Main Line Animal Rescue online at www.mlar.org. Carrie Sunday will show her work at Art Basel, Dec. 2-5, 2010, at The Betsy (hotel) in South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida. |