WHAT:
Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble Art-O-Rama!: A silent benefit auction of original one-of-a-kind works of art by highly-prolific and renowned artist, William Helvey (1942-2019). There will be works on paper, acrylics, and oils, with starting bids as low as $50. Music will be featured throughout the event by both students and CFE professionals, and heavy hors d’oeuvres will be provided. In-person bidding is strongly recommended, but a Dropbox link containing images of all included works will be released (on CFE’s facebook page and website) by the day of the auction; interested remote bidders may request an ID number and place bids by texting 513-304-5436 between noon and 4 PM EST on the auction day. All winning bidders will make their winning bid(s) as a donation to the Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble in return for the work(s) of art.
WHEN:
Saturday, June 4, 2022, 12-4 PM (EST)
WHERE:
Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble Institute of Music
21 Cromwell Road, Cincinnati OH, 45218
(located in the north lower-level education wing of Greenhills Community Church, Presbyterian)
WHY:
All sales benefit the scholarship/education initiative mission of the Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble.
For further information, contact:
cincinnatifusionensemble@gmail.com
or 513-304-5436
cincinnatifusionensemble.org
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About William Helvey
William Helvey was born in southwest Missouri in 1942, and his early life was spent on a farm near Mt. Vernon, Missouri. He became a fine art photographer and professional artist, and was drawn particularly to rural and natural subjects, as well as portraiture and figurative work. Although William painted and photographed throughout the nation for many decades, the state of Missouri especially provided him ongoing and endless subject matter. He held degrees in education, studio art, and photography from Missouri State University in Springfield (BA, 1965) and the University of Missouri-Columbia (MA, 1970). An avid and gifted educator, he taught at Marshfield (MO) High School, Lincoln University (Jefferson City, MO), Central Methodist University (Fayette, MO), and Stephens College (Columbia, MO), as well as adult and children’s classes in drawing, painting, and fine art photography. William was a passionate 4-H leader, and judged photography for the Boone County (Missouri) Fair for forty years. He was also an independent filmmaker and received numerous awards for his films, photography, and artwork. During his lifetime, William was honored with over 100 solo art exhibits throughout the Midwest, was published in numerous books, magazines & professional journals, and his work continues to be collected internationally by corporations, public institutions, and private individuals. William is listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the Midwest, and in America’s Outstanding Professionals. He enjoyed extensive travel throughout his lifetime to collect subject matter for his art which, at his death in 2019, encompassed over 25,000 works (excluding his photography). State and national parks, historic sites, and art museums were favorite destinations. Other interests included aviation, reading, hiking, biking, cinema, and history.
About the Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble
The Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble is a professional performing ensemble with a threefold mission: to offer world-class performances, to foster young musicians through high-level music education, and to engage the community. CFE was established in 2013 and is comprised of a roster of over 30 nationally- and internationally-renowned singers based in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. The professional Ensemble, in various groupings, performs in the genres of choral music, art song, vocal chamber music, musical theater, jazz, folk music, oratorio, and chamber opera. Having produced a wide variety of concerts and internationally-distributed recordings (for HW Gray Publishing), the Ensemble continues to develop a unique mentorship program to offer applied lessons to highly talented students—regardless of their socio-economic status. These lessons are subsidized through grants and partnerships in the form of need- and talent-based scholarships. Students experience high-level, excellent instruction with teachers of the caliber found in the finest collegiate music schools. Integral to the advancement of its mission, the Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble was approved in 2014 for state and federal non-profit status, and is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. The Cincinnati Fusion Ensemble also sponsors an annual summer Choral and Voice Institute, an annual Voice scholarship competition, and various community enhancement projects including collaboration with Winton Woods High School. Additionally, CFE’s Institute of Music (for private applied lessons, class piano, recitals, master classes, and visual art exhibitions) opened in the fall of 2018.