**For Immediate Release**
Art Auction Sets Records
- released by OPSU Campus Communications on 03-06-07
By Marcus Mallard, Collegian Editor
Goodwell, Okla. - With records being set in both attendance and funds raised, the Paul Farrell Memorial Scholarship Art Auction went off without a hitch. This year, over $17,000 was raised to benefit Images Art Club during the March 3 event.
Images hosts the auction every year in honor of former OPSU student Paul Farrell. Farrell was a non-traditional art student that embellished the college life and never allowed his age or conditions to hinder his love of art or the college life. Farrell suffered from cancer that was eventually fatal, so in his remembrance, Images along with Farrell’s wife, Margie, created the auction to help benefit the club along with the students that Paul enjoyed so much.
The art auction is set up as a fundraiser in two ways. Half of the proceeds from the auction go to the club to help fund the Paul Farrell Memorial Scholarship, purchase supplies for the club to use and fund the many events that Images Art Club holds on and around campus. The other half benefits the artists in the form of scholarship. Not only do the students submit work to the auction; work is also provided by faculty, alumni and other local artists.
With over 130 bidders in attendance, the night could only go one way. Even before the last piece was auctioned off, the record had already been set. Two years ago, Images raised $15,000, and last year, the amount raised was $11,000. The high piece of artwork for the evening was an acrylic painting by Brent Shoulders entitled “Hatch on the Arkansas (Brook Trout).” The piece was the second in a series of three. This piece of work went for an astonishing $2,525.
Students that presented work for the auction include: Hector Cobos, Kori Kincannon, Bonnie Johnson, Kristen Newland, Britta McDonald, Shasta Kreis, Cody Criswell, Elizabeth Test, Marcus Mallard, Andrew Moffet, Brooke Jackson, Antonio Martinez, Holly Sangster, Mona Highberger, Holly Boyd, Jared “Slick” Ballard and Megan Varner. Each member of the art department faculty—Larry Wiggins, Bryon Test, Brent Shoulder, Yvonne Sangster and David Elder—submitted work. Returning alumni with submitted work include: Alex Gregory, Mandy Gregory, Clay Jackson, Dustin Bentley, Shea Meyer, Bradley Chance Hays and Jennifer Holloway. Local artists who donated their work and proceeds were Ben Test and Mandy Flowers.
Speaking as the current Images Art Club president, “The Paul Farrell Memorial Scholarship Art Auction is a good tool for the students to use as they learn to market their work as well as themselves at artists. Many of the patrons at the auction will usually become the students’ future patrons and supporters.”
The next event that Images has coming up is the annual Art Jubilee on April 11. The Jubilee is a big recruiting tool for the art department that involves the whole campus and community.
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