Art lovers, start sharpening your bidding strategies for the 9th Annual Silent Auction and Gala Reception. Bidding starts July 2nd and ends with a Gala Reception and Final Bidding on July 11th from 5 to 7 PM, accompanied by lavish hors d’oeuvres created by local restaurants, and live music. A Live Auction with auctioneer Mike Maino will begin at 7 PM. 

​Imagine enjoying a wine and hors d'oeuvres cruise aboard the 74-foot Aphrodite, a beautifully restored 1937 commuter yacht, at sunset. A balmy summer evening at the Matunuck Oyster Bar or Shelter Harbor Inn. A scenic flight to Block Island. Tickets to Yanni at Foxwoods Resort and Casino and “Mary Poppins” live at Bill Hanney’s Theatre-by-the-Sea. Not to mention artwork of all kinds. These and much more donated by over 75 local businesses will be on display at the Gallery from July 2nd through the final heated moments of the Final Bidding and Live Auction on July 11th.  

A lustrous hollow porcelain pendant overlaid with fine silver flowers and strung with carnelian beads, by jewelry designer Nina Briggs, will be raffled off during the Gala Reception. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the Gallery during the month prior. From art to theatre to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, everyone from chefs to travelers and golfers to gardeners will find something tempting to bid on. 

​All are invited to enjoy a fun-filled evening and support the arts. The 2-hour wine, beer and hors d’oeuvre cruise for up to 12 aboard the Aphrodite has been graciously donated by Chuck and Deborah Royce. The swift, elegant commuter yacht was built in 1937. Notables from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Shirley Temple have graced her elegant decks, and during WWII she served as an escort vessel for President Roosevelt on his travels to and from his Hyde Park, New York home. Cruise hors d’oeuvres have been generously donated by Grant Simmons. Cruise dates are available in September 2014 or in June or September 2015.

Auctioneer Mike Maino has spent more than 50 years immersed in the world of singing, speaking and entertaining.  As an MC, his experiences include hundreds of live stage shows that have taken him from California to London, Seattle to Bermuda, and just about every major performance venue in between. His voice is heard around the world on air, and the web, as an announcer for WCRI, 95.9, The Classical Station, where he is also the host of Conducting Conversations and American A Cappella. 

Following the Silent Auction will be a new show, “Artists’ Favorites” which runs from July 12th through August 3rd. Artists in media from oils and photography to sculpture, textiles and jewelry will display the work they love the most. Ardie Harrison chose a photograph of a dock stretching over luminous blue water towards the rising sun. Laurie Gavitt chose a lush oil of blooming trees at Ninigret. And, as always at the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery, shopping is tax-free. 

​The Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center Senior Art Show and Food Appeal will be featured in the Back Room Art Gallery through August 3rd.  Visitors are invited to bring donations of non-perishable food.

BRAG SHOW (Our Back Room Art Gallery)

Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center Senior Art Show and Food Appeal

In July, the Back Room Art Gallery will feature paintings and drawings created by the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center Senior Art Class. Visitors are invited to attend a special Opening Reception Sunday, June 8, from 2-4 PM. Light refreshments will be served.  Visitors are also invited to bring donations of non-perishable food for the PNC’s social service programs.

The PNC serves the communities of Westerly, Pawcatuck and Stonington. Their mission is to improve and enhance the quality of life of residents of all ages living within those communities by providing basic human needs and social interaction.

The PNC’s Drawing and Painting Classes are taught by instructor Lucille Servidio, who retired from Westerly High School in 2012 after teaching art for 21 years. Classes are geared toward the active aging adult. Students paint from photographs in oils, acrylics, and watercolors and create pencil drawings from still lifes. About the art students, PNC Senior Program Coordinator Peggy Kilmartin says, “The classes are made up of some people who are finally at a time in their lives when they are able to try something they have always wanted to try. For others, it’s an opportunity to socialize and meet new people. For many, art is a relaxing thing to do. And some are truly blessed with an artistic talent and this is their chance to demonstrate their talent and hone their skills.”

In addition to a wide variety of Senior Programs including the Art classes, the PNC also offers service programs including free Senior Transportation for medical care and appointments. The PNC also has several service programs that help provide food and assistance including the Weekender Backpack Program for Children and the Food Pantry. Food items always needed include cereal and oatmeal, jam and jelly, baked beans, instant rice and mashed potatoes, and canned meats including Spam, chicken, tuna and beef stew. All services are provided with dignity and respect for those they serve. Donations to any of these programs is greatly appreciated. For more information please visit www.the-pnc.org.