MyRye.com: Rye’s Above Butterflies Raise over $20,000 for Local Children and Artists
September 21, 2024
After spending the summer on the Village Green, the butterfly sculptures of the Rye’sAbove art installation have migrated to new homes following the Rye’sAbove auction on September 19. Rye’sAbove is an annual community art initiative organized by the The Rotary Club of Rye and the Rye Arts Center.
The auction, held at Wainwright house, hosted 125 attendees, including Mayor Josh E. Cohn, New York State Representative Steve Otis, and Senator Shelley Mayer. A lively bidding war erupted over the intricately designed butterfly sculptures that have captivated the community over the past four months. Created by local and regional artists, these vibrant works of art shone brightly on the beautiful grounds of Wainwright House. Several sculptures were even purchased at the “Buy Now” price before the event!
(PHOTO: Young artist Thomas Chen with his work.)
Among the artworks sold were butterflies created by the youngest artists to ever participate in Rye’sAbove: Christopher Hofman’s (age 8) petite-sized butterfly called Year of the Dragon and Thomas Chen’s (age 15) medium-sized butterfly titled Golden Serenity.
The auction raised $23,500 for children’s educational initiatives and scholarships. A portion of the sales will also go towards supporting Rye’s local artistic community. Jaime Glez, father of “Half Day for Half Pints” Scholarship recipient Yara, shared his appreciation for the Rye Arts Center’s programming and the scholarships that make it possible. “My daughter Yara absolutely loves her art classes,” said Glez, “and we believe they will play a vital role in her artistic and language development. She looks forward to every session, and we look forward to watching her creativity flourish in such a supportive environment.”