Attend Gallery r Benefit Auction and Take Home a Piece of Art

‌

“One Good Tern” by Don Nagel, pastel

“Art patrons: 2011 is a year of old favorites and new adventures for Gallery r,” says Deb Kinsgbury, assistant dean in RIT’s College of Imaging Arts and Sciences. “We are very close to announcing the opening of our new location in downtown Rochester—and hope to make that announcement at the Gallery r benefit on March 24.”

It’s good news for Rochester Institute of Technology’s student-run gallery as it celebrates 12 years of artistic endeavors with its annual gala auction fundraising event.

The Gallery r Benefit, with support from Bausch & Lomb, will be held on March 24 at RIT’s James E. Booth Hall Gallery. A reception with live music by Lake Effect, light hors d’oeuvres, desserts and cash bar will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and an art drawing with emcee Norma Holland, WHAM-TV news anchor, is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m.

All ticket-holders who attend the annual Gallery r benefit will leave with a beautiful work of art donated by RIT friends, students, alumni and faculty—signature pieces that may be worth more than the $100 benefit ticket price.

“Gallery r has been a terrific gala fundraiser in past years, an event that the Rochester cultural community, RIT and friends have loyally supported,” says Zerbe Sodervick, Gallery r coordinator and director of extended studies at RIT. “This year the benefit profits will go directly toward assisting RIT’s College of Imaging Arts and Sciences—and its plans to build a new facility for Gallery r in the Neighborhood of the Arts.”

Gallery r is RIT’s metro showcase and learning laboratory for the arts, and it offers students the same challenges and expectations that confront established artists. The gallery rose to an auspicious start with more than 1,500 visitors when it opened its doors during the Park Avenue festival 12 years ago. Since then, it has built a reputation for showcasing 12 innovative exhibitions a year, providing educational opportunities, and fostering collaborations with the public, other arts institutions and community groups.

Tickets to the Gallery r Benefit are $100. Each ticket admits two people and is good for one piece of artwork. For information, call 585-475-5154 or e-mail rbenefit@rit.edu.