By John Tredrea, Special Writer
LAMBERTVILLE — The Lamberville Shad Festival’s 2012 Poster Exhibit and Art Scholarship Fund benefit auction has drawn outstanding entries that are sure to help make this year’s incarnation of the event a successful one, organizers say.
”This is really my favorite part of the Shad Festival,” said Ellen Pineno, Shad Fest coordinator, in her office at the Lambertville Chamber of Commerce.
”It really celebrates the rich artistic culture of the Lambertville-New Hope area. What could be better than supporting the collegiate career of those studying the arts. It’s a circle of creativity that involves the whole community.”
Scholarship applications have been sent to the South Hunterdon and New Hope-Solebury districts. Students must live in those districts to be eligible to apply.
”Scholarship monies aren’t just available to those studying fine arts,” Ms. Pineno said. “They’re also available to students of arts education, dance, film, music, performance, architecture and others.”
”We have some outstanding past recipients of these scholarships. Jody Lites is one. He went on to a career in film and has had two films shown at the Cannes Film Festival,” she added. Mr. Lites father, Dr. Jan Lites, also is an artist.
Among the entries this year is Stewart Ross, of New Hope, who submitted an oversize poster: “Fishing on the River” in a style of the 1930s.
A newcomer to the event, Newtown’s Alex Cohen, has submitted an oil over acrylic on board. “Shad Tornado” depicts a vortex of fishing greens and grays.
The reformatted website (shadfestposters.com) helps artists see what others are doing and allows bidders and collectors to preview some of the 2012 posters and posters from 2011 and 2010.
The artists’ reception is set for Friday from 7-9 p.m. at The First Presbyterian Church of Lambertville’s recreation room (side entrance), 31 N. Union St.
Bidders can preview all day Saturday and until about 1 p.m. on Sunday. The live auction, which begins at 3 p.m., will run for several hours.
Register to bid all weekend at the main desk. Silent auction category posters will open for bidding Friday night and through Sunday at 1 p.m..
To date, the Shad Festival Poster Auction has raised a $395,000. Since its inception more than 20 years ago, over 70 local students on both sides of the Delaware have been awarded scholarships.
Through the donations of local businesses, poster artists are eligible to receive monetary awards. A total of $3,600 will be awarded in eight different categories.
The auction is supported by Lambertville Station and Hunterdon Medical Center Foundation.
