Portraits for Life and Art
By Christian Bain

The Leslie-Lohman Gay Art Foundation and Friends In Deed, the New York-based service organization dedicated to assisting people coping with life-threatening illnesses, have joined with legendary artist-illustrator Bob Ziering to sponsor a unique raffle for life and art featuring three of the artist’s original signed works. Donated by the artist, each of the three pieces portrays one of the world’s best known performing artists.

If you’ve read a magazine in the past few decades, you’ve seen the work of Bob Ziering, renowned for his exceptional capacity to capture life in motion. (An exhibition of Ziering’s never before seen gay erotic work opens at the Leslie-Lohman Gallery on May 18th running through June 26, 2004.)

First prize in the Portraits for Life and Art Raffle is a signed one-of-a-kind unpublished 1986 portrait in sepia pencil and pastel of Charlie Chaplin, revealing the famed comedian peering from the frame with his comically timid trademark expression, simultaneously cautious and mocking the world he sees.

Second prize is a signed 1991 sketch of Louis Armstrong with his trumpet in colored pencil and pastel on velum.

Third prize is a signed pen-and-ink sketch on velum of a dancing Mikhail Baryshnikov circa 1992.

The three pieces will go on view at the Foundation's gallery on March 9th. Tickets are $25 each, 5 for $100, or 30 for $500 and can be purchased at the Foundation’s Gallery or on-line at www.friendsindeed.org. All proceeds of the raffle will go to support the two sponsoring non-profit organizations.

Please join in supporting their vitally life-affirming contributions to our community!