L 8 The Dallas Post NEWS Friday, July 4, 2003 | St. Therese’s First Communion classes St. Therese’s Church, Shavertown, celebrated First Holy Communion weekend May 3 and 4. Fifty-eight children received ARIAT: First Holy Com 9 a.m. class — From left, first row: Jennifer Yannuzzi, Amanda Pizano, Bridget Boyle, Brianna Headman, Vanessa Sheridan, Alyssa Belskis. Second row: Jack Matusiak, Ryan Zapoticky, Evonna Ackourey, Skhyler Sciandra- Pucci, Craig Manzoni, Kieran Sutton. Third row: Cassandra Stevens, Ezra Frick, Michael Carey, Nicole Sweeney, Brit- tney Pilch, Jordan Faux, Abigail Hunter. Fourth row: Denise Murphy-Coordinator of Religious Ed., Msgr. J. Peter Crynes, Pastor, Peggy Harvey, Teacher. Auction (continued from page 1) bought for $500, Hand thinks. Since then auctioning the annual painting has become “the” Satur- day night highlight event, with high emotion and crowd-pleasing tension. It earns the library thou- sands of dollars every year, the record amount being $5,200 in 2001. Private individuals and cor- porations have sought the coveted historic piece, with some buyers making the top bid in more than one year. Hand plans a seven-year hiatus or “sabbatical” to complete a new 11-county area project she has be- gun called “Light and the Land.” She has planned 1,200 paintings over a 10-year period. “The library auction has given me the courage to go out of my community and paint all around Northeastern Pennsylvania,” she said. “As I travel to Towanda or even Sullivan County, people tell me they've been to the Dallas auc- tion. I am the biggest fan of the Back Mountain, Northeastern Pennsylvania, and its people. But in the beginning I was afraid peo- ple would see my mistakes.” The library and community also provided some of Hand’s earliest inspiration as a young artist. She remembers being inspired by the handmade doll collection of Mrs. EE Diana lV. 11 a.m. class — From left, first row: Cara Pricher, Christopher Colacito, Dominic DeGraba, Salvatore Moran, Phillip Trautlein, James Caffrey, Emilia Kon. Second row: Arnold Brodhead, Haley Dudeck, Kendra Vanesko, Katie Metcalf Morgan Gilhooley, Ronald Chupka, Courtney Phillips, John Butler IV. Third row: Matthew Slavoski, William Hillman, Amanda Foote, Christopher Ho- dakowski, Stephanie Amann, Spencer Norris. HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 4:30 p.m. class — From left, first row: Christopher Lafratte, Katharine Mari- anacci, Briana Konecke, Sarah Payne, Alyssa Menzek, Joshua Williams, Augustus Second row: Rudy Georgetti, Jonathan Ellenberger, A.J. Cheskiewicz, David Payne, Margaret Richter, Jillian Payne, Julie Ann Mahle, Melissa Flack, Christie Conway, Mitchell Zelasko, Casey McAndrew. Third row: Denise Murphy, Coordinator of Religious Ed., Msgr. J. Peter Crynes, Pastor, Karen Campbell, Teacher. brush stroke in 2001. Jennie Newman. The Newman dolls were displayed at the library and sold at the annual auction. “I never played with dolls, we were too poor, but I wanted to make something beautiful and valuable that more than two peo- ple wanted.” She took art lessons with Mrs. Barber, from Beaumont, who took her outside to paint all day long. “It was somewhere up on the ridge, in an old farmhouse, where the microwave towers are now. I decided then and there that this is what I wanted to do.” Recently selected to receive an honorary Doctorate of Humani- ties from King’s College for her life’s work, Sue Hand started her career with an art degree from Kutztown University. “We drew buildings and sketches from natu- ral scenes.” But the biggest, and most sig- nificant influence on her artistic life has been the outdoors, or “en plein” open-air work. Like the French Impressionists she ad- mires, painting outdoors has changed her style radically, “It changed my color, my brush stroke and composition,” she said. Her newest influence is the “trompe l'oeil” effect of drapery and overlays which she’ll use, this - 10) I —— At left, a portion of a study for a previous auction painting. At right, Sue Hand contemplated her next year, in her last on-site library auction painting. The painting will be sold this Sunday night at 9. (check time) Artistically, Hand says her best painting is the next one, because she’s never quite satisfied with the last. Her favorite auction ex- perience came in 1999 when she was lifted in a bucket loader high above the auction grounds. She wanted a different perspective, similar to painting from the roof of the old library. Safety and her fear of heights considered, a bucket loader gave her the view she needed. It was the “highlight” of her auction painting years. Her dream is to someday see all her library auc- tion paintings exhibited in one place. “After all, they are all my babies,” she said proudly. And while Sue Hand leaves her Back Mountain home to paint “in situ” (in situation or on location around Northeastern Pennsylva- nia she mentions, and is almost prophetically reminded of, an An- drew Wyeth quote that “to know a place is to paint it over, and over, and over again.” She certainly has done that with the library auction, and per- haps will take it up again. Auction thrives thanks to volunteers The Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction would never hap- pen without the dedication of a large number of volunteers. “We seem to get a good response for the week of the auction but there is so much work done throughout the year,” said long-time volunteer Joe Stager of Shavertown. “Ernie Ashbridge and some of the others start working on next year’s auc- tion the week after this one is over.” Stager, one of a corps of perenni- al volunteers, has worked at most aspects of the auction including one year as chairman and another as co-chairman. “I'm sorry to say that employment commitments are keeping me from a lot of auc- tion work this year. I'll only be available for the last two nights,” he said. His predicament points to the growing need for new volunteers. “I'm a strong advocate of that. The library is such a worthwhile cause. The librarian, Martha Butler, and the other people who work there are doing a great job,” said Stager. “I encourage more people to get in- volved in the auction. There is a history of community service there.” Stager’s wife, Sally, has also been a volunteer for many years. She was chairperson for the Plant Booth for several years and ran the Nearly Old Booth the last two years. “Sally always took her only week of vacation to work at the DRY CLEANERS Simply The Best Dry Cleaning, Laundry & Alterations $1.90 A SHIRT BRING IN 8 SUITS, GET 1 AT HALF PRICE auction,” said Stager. This year her employment commitment is also keeping her from that volunteer work. However, their daughter, Kim, is running this year’s Chil- dren’s Activities. “I feel like I've provided my replacement and that’s the way it should be,” said Stager. “It is kind of like, we've been there, done that, and now someone else needs to come along to help.” The Back Mountain Library auc- tion committee is always looking for new volunteers. A wide variety of positions are available before, during and after the auction. Just call the library and volunteer. They will be happy to hear from you. Or just show up at this year’s event, and someone will make it a point to welcome you. “It is so important to have a good base of volunteers,” said Stager. “Otherwise, we wouldn't have such a great auction,” or such a great library. — MLB. Gilligan Special Timed Items Schedule Every vear, the Back Mountain Library Auction features a number of timed items on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All other auction items, whether antiques or new goods, are sent to the block in no particular order. Here is the sched- ule of timed items this vear. Friday, July 11 8 p.m. - Queen size metal bed frame from Comfort Designs. 8:30 p.m.- Bus trip for two to the Christmas show at Radio City Mu- sic Hall in New York City. Includes transportation and tickets. 9 p.m. - Wendy's Meal Deal. $500 coupon good in any Wendy's restaurant, with no limit on the amount that may be used in a sin- gle visit. Saturday, July 12 8 p.m. - 14 oval cut Garnet stone XXOO bracelet set in 14K yellow gold, from Ochman Coins & Jewel- ry. 8:30 p.m. - Wendy's Meal Deal. $500 coupon good in any Wendy's restaurant, with no limit on the amount that may be used in a sin- gle visit. 9 p.m. - Full-page ad in the Times Leader. $2400 value. Sunday, July 13 8 p.m. - The final on-site auction painting by Sue Hand. Don’t miss this one! 8:30 p.m. - Complete one-year weight loss and stabilization plan ® ] from Form U 3 Weight Loss Center. e 9 p.m. - Private box for a Red Barons game and six tickets. In- cludes food and beverages. Donat- ed by the Times Leader. 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