Below is a news release regarding the 52nd \;annual Rockport Art Festival\, featuring the works of more than 100 artists from across Texas and eight other states. The event will take place July 4-5\, while the 28th \;annual Summer Art Auction will take place on Thursday\, July 2. This year&rsquo\;s auction will include a \;reservation-only\, in-person auction and \;an online auction for virtual bidding.
\n\nAuction images are available at \;https://www.dropbox.com/sh/
\n
\n \;
July 2 event includes in-person event and online bidding to benefit Rockport Center for the Arts
\n\nHosted by Rockport Center for the Arts\, the Rockport Art Festival weekend is now in its 52nd \;year with the Summer Art Auction serving as the kickoff since 1993. Always the perfect event for art enthusiasts eager to find unique pieces for their personal collections\, an online element through \;liveauctioneers.com \;has been added this year to enable bidding from literally anywhere with the click of a button.
\n\n\;Now in its 28th \;year\, the Thursday\, July 2\, Summer Art Auction features works from 65 of the more than 100 participating Rockport Art Festival artists\, including paintings\, sculptures\, jewelry and more. There will be a reservation-only\, in-person auction gathering of up to 130 guests at Estelle Stair Gallery in Rockport\, including a cocktail reception beginning at 6 p.m. followed by the auction at 7 p.m.\, with individual tickets and VIP packages available.
\n\n \;As a result of COVID-19\, the online auction element is being incorporated this year\, providing an opportunity for virtual bidding at \;rockportartcenter/
\;&ldquo\;We salute the 65 artists who have made a generous contribution for inclusion in this year&rsquo\;s Auction and the 30-plus underwriters that have made this event available\, for the first time in our history\, to a global audience\,&rdquo\; said Luis Puró\;n\, executive director for Rockport Center for the Arts. &ldquo\;Supporting the Summer Art Auction and the Rockport Art Festival in general contributes to the success and continuation of the Rockport Center for the Arts and its presence as a significant cultural asset in the region\, and ensuring Rockport remains one of the most celebrated art colonies in the United States.&rdquo\;
\n
\nAs is tradition\, the original art selected for the annual Art Festival poster\, created this year by impressionist painter V&hellip\;.Vaughan\, is one of the 65 items up for bid.
&ldquo\;Each year\, a committee gathers to select one master artist to join a select group of individuals known for their achievements and excellence in the Arts\, their engagement and contributions to the organization\, and for capturing a coastal aesthetic that is unique to Rockport and the Rockport Art Festival\,&rdquo\; said Puró\;n &ldquo\;This year&rsquo\;s master artist\, V&hellip\;. Vaughan\, is a wonderful addition to that notable group.&rdquo\;
\n\nThis year&rsquo\;s auctioneer will be Mark Prendergast\, licensed auctioneer and Certified Appraiser with the Appraisers Association of America. Based in Houston\, Prendergast has been an international auction house executive and auctioneer for more than 20 years with Christie&rsquo\;s and Heritage Auctions. He earned his degree in Art History from Vanderbilt University and began his career working with a national dealer of American Art\, then joining Christie&rsquo\;s in 1998 where he became Vice President during his decade-long tenure. Prendergast is assisting Rockport Center for the Arts with this year&rsquo\;s online component of the auction and also providing his auctioneer skills to hopefully set some new sale records for participating artists.
\n\n\;Hosted by Rockport Center for the Arts\, this year&rsquo\;s Rockport Art Festival features more than 100 artists from across Texas and eight other states\, including California and Florida. Even with COVID-19\, there was a waiting list of artists wanting to participate in the two-day Art Festival scheduled for Saturday\, July 4\, from 10 a.m.&ndash\;6 p.m.\, and Sunday\, July 5\, from 10 a.m.&ndash\; 5 p.m. at the Festival Grounds at Rockport Harbor. The event features a variety of mediums such as painting\, ceramics\, jewelry\, woodwork\, glasswork\, metal sculptures\, furniture\, and more with a vast array of items available for purchase. The Art Festival Store will also be open\, with items such as event t-shirts and the commemorative event poster available for purchase.
\n\nFor tickets and more information on the Summer Art Auction and Rockport Art Festival\, go online to \;www.RockportArtFest.com \;or call (361) 729-5519.
\n\nAbout the Rockport Center for the Arts
\n\nRockport Center for the Arts is located at Estelle Stair Gallery\, 406 S. Austin St.\, and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is always free. For more information call (361) 729-5519 or visit \;www.rockportartcenter.com \;or Facebook \;www.facebook.com/
###
\n\n\;
\n\n\;
\n