By SANDY PEOPLES Dallas Post Correspondent Sue Hand has been donating her original paintings to the Back Moun- tain Library Auction since 1976. Since 1990 she has been painting them on location on the auction grounds at the library. “I usually start a few days ahead of time with some of the background work, but there is always something new and different each year,” said Hand. “So I wait to do the bulk of the work on the premises after I see how things are set up for the event. Each year I have tried to do the official auction painting from a different an- gle.” This year Hand will do her very first acrylic on stretched canvas on loca- tion. “I need the versatility of acrylic to do what I have in mind,” she said. “Because the auction starts on the Fourth of July this year, I have come up with an idea to use the American flag on the perimeter of the painting as a graphic illustration, floating the auction scene within the perimeter of the flag. The painting will symbolical- ly celebrate the Fourth of July and our American freedom.” : Hand will also incorporate a synes- thetic aspect into the painting. “I did an exhibit last year at King’s College using this technique of painting the colors to actually produce the sense and sight of sound in the painting,” she said. “The colors will connect A Good Mechanic... Is not hard & to find. | merica starts here in the Back Mountain for me.’ Painter with the sounds and motions of the holiday and the auction with all of their usual and wonderful images and excitement.” One hundred percent of the pro- ceeds of her paintings are donated to the Back Mountain Library. In the beginning her paintings sold for around $100. The highest price ever brought on the auction block was over $4,000. “I do this every year,” she said, “be- cause | absolutely’ love the Back Mountain community, the library and the people. I am an unembarrassed cheerleader for Northeastern Pennsyl- vania. It is the greatest area in the world. I want to give something back to the community, and painting is all I know.” Each painting takes about 40 hours, 20 of which are done on site on the auction grounds. “Saturday nights are usually hectic trying to get the finished picture framed and ready for the auction the next night,” she said. “My husband and business partner, Joe, does the framing, and we get auction fever by that time as Owner, Dave Spurlin One Day Jobs All Credit Cards Accepted (NAP) Auto Care Center We Install Quality NAPA Parts Approved Auto Repair BACK MOUNTAIN AUTO SPECIALISTS 149 N. Main St. ¢ 675-3336 we keep up the frantic pace to get it done.” This year’s painting will be approxi- mately 30” x 40.” It will be framed as usual with a brass plate denoting that it is the annual and official auc- tion painting. “My dream is that one day I could see all of the previous year’s paint- ings collected all in one place,” said Hand. “But I don’t know who bought all of them.” This year’s painting is extra special to her with its all-American theme. “America starts here in the Back Mountain for me,” she said, “because all of my family and friends are here to celebrate and enjoy one another.” On the cover: Auctioneers took bids on Sue Hand's auction watercol- or last year. This year it will be done in acrylic for the first time. Toby’s Creek Antiques Got Time On Your Hands? Need To Entertain Someone For A Couple Of Hours? 90 Dealer Co-op Loaded With Upscale Antiques. 1/4 miles from Hillside Farms Dairy (Yum-Yum) Route 309 & Hillside Road, Trucksville Open Daily * www.tobyscreekantiques.com 696-4305 Exit 170B off I-81 We Buy Estates 2 GRANGE NATIONALBANK. FRIENDLY, AFFORDABLE, INDEPENDENT WE'RE HERE FOR YOU WITH... *LOW service charges on personal and business checking *CONVENIENT HOURS including Saturdays 95 YEARS Strong, Independent and not about to merge. Big enough to meet your needs; small enough to know your name! Back Mountain, Edwardsville, Pine Mall, Bowman's Creek, Tunkhannock, Meshoppen, Lawton, | Bea 1 IN Litte Meadows, Towanda, Scranton 696-9658 TOLL FREE 888-685-8984 Member FDIC UAL HOUSING ENDER www.grangebank.com Equal Opportunity Lender Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction July 4, 2002
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers