(Cape Town, South Africa – 12 August, 2005)
More than 35 paintings will go under the hammer to raise funds for whale education in Hermanus, at an auction marking one of the finale events of the world famous Whale Festival on 26 September.
IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare – www.ifaw.org) and Whalehaven Wines, in conjunction with the Hermanus Art Society and Hermanus Whale Festival, collaborated for the second time in 2005, to raise money for marine mammal education.
The auction will be opened by IFAW’s President Fred O’Regan, and attended by a number of senior staff from IFAW’s 15 international offices.
More than 35 artworks, featuring the talents of local artists, are on display in restaurants, at Whalehaven Wines and the exhibition space of the Hermanus Art Society and “blind” bids on the paintings are encouraged ahead of the auction event itself.
The auction will be held at 18h00 on Monday, 26th September at Whalehaven Wines, Hemel-en-Aarde Road, Sandbaai Intersection, Hermanus.
“We’re absolutely delighted by the enthusiasm with which Hermanus’ art community has supported this unique event, and the fact that so many restaurants agreed to promote the event by exhibiting paintings over the past few months,” said Christina Pretorius of IFAW Southern Africa.
“The artworks are mostly along an environmental theme and we are fairly confident that, as happened in our first successful auction in 2004, we’ll sell all the paintings.”
However, it’s not just art that will go on sale at the auction that will be run by popular Hermanus businessman Nick Altona-de Klerk of Adek.
Whalehaven Wines have donated a case of Idiom, their as-yet unreleased new top range of wines, so aficionados shouldn’t miss the opportunity to bid on this much anticipated new label on the wine scene.
“Whalehaven has been so pleased to be part of this unique charity initiative and we are looking forward to hosting the auction in our cellars next week,” said Kath Simm of Whalehaven.
“The whales of Walker Bay have been very kind to us this season attracting thousands of tourists to Hermanus of which many have stopped by to taste and buy our wines. This is our chance to give something back to them.”
* Paintings due to go on auction on Monday, 26th September, are on display at the Hermanus Art Society (The Old Station, Hermanus), Hubbards Cupboard, Burgundy, Annies, Rosekavalier, Wok This Way, B’s, Mogg’s Café, Milkwood, Deli’s, The Incredible Fish, Goddards Grill and Whalehaven Wines. Would-be buyers who might not be able to attend the auction can bid “blind” by writing their details and bid on a piece of paper or business card and putting it into the envelope alongside each painting.
