Bids for Donated Artwork Benefit Homeless Pets
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2014 – Artists from the Inland Southern California region and beyond donated artwork that will be up for auction Sunday night.
The annual Art for the Animals silent and live auction happens Sunday, April 27, at the Riverside Art Museum (RAM) in downtown Riverside. The silent auction runs from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. The live auction starts at 6 p.m.
Sunday's festivities also include a special adoption auction of a special dog. The dog is a 6-month-old Yorkie mix that was not redeemed by its rightful owner. The auction for this dog begins at $105, the regular adoption fee for shelter dogs – but the cuteness factor of this dog will likely boost its adoption amount among bidders.
All the donated money is collected by the Animal Solutions Konnection Foundation, the nonprofit organization that helps sponsor Art for the Animals. The ASK Foundation is also the nonprofit group that provides funding for enrichment programs for Riverside County Animal Services' shelter animals. The ASK Foundation's board members are all volunteers working on behalf of shelter pets.
The Art for the Animals fundraiser is popular with school teachers and youngsters. Much of the donated artwork comes from local school children. But there are also professional artists involved with Art for the Animals. This year's featured artist, Riverside-based watercolor specialist Joan Coffey, donated a handful of beautiful pieces to help make Sunday's live auction a memorable one.
"We are very honored to have the talents of Joan Coffey in this year's Art for the Animals," said Carolyn Badger, board president for the ASK Foundation. "She is truly gifted and truly has a big heart toward animals. We're in her debt."
Ms. Coffey studied art at the University of Illinois. She received a bachelor's degree in mathematics and minored in art before enrolling in drawing classes at the Art Institute of Chicago and, later, at the American Academy of Art.
When she landed in California, Ms. Coffey studied traditional art for six years in the studio of the late California Art Club artist Joanne Rossman. She used charcoal, oils and watercolors. When she moved to Riverside, she got involved with the Riverside Art Museum, the Riverside Community Arts Association and is a charter member of the Plein Air Artists of Riverside (PAAR). Ms. Coffey participates regularly in the Redlands Art Association and the Corona Art Association shows and her artwork has been honored with multiple awards in multiple years.
