Van Toad Auction

THE WINNERS! - Adam and Barbara pose with Vincent Van Toad. Barb is a wonderful, bubbly artist and teacher with a huge heart for little Adam. Both met on Superbowl Sunday afternoon, after nap time. The Heatwole home was warm and full of action... some kids playing, some kids cleaning up where the others mussed it up. Overall, a beautiful illustration of a loving family. Thanks for letting me peek in.

Vincent Van Toad, Paul Zdepski, 2007
acrylic on canvas, handsomely framed
2nd Place - Book Category, at the 14th Juried Exhibition of the Illustrators Club of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, May-June 2008.
Cover of the MainARTery, Oct/Nov 2007


Additional Swag:
A signed copy of IC 14 Catalog featuring Van Toad
A copy of the MainARTery, Oct/Nov 2007 featuring Van Toad

SOLD

Thank you to Barbara S. for her winning bid, and new ownership of Vincent Van Toad!

Auction Closed February 1, 2011

Folks, there's a little boy I know of that's having a tough go of things in Georgetown University Hospital, in Washington DC. His name is Adam, and on top of his liver transplant a few years ago, he just had a bout of sickness that killed the majority of his intestine. He's still in the ICU, and his parents have spent the holiday season shuttling between their home 100 miles away and downtown DC.

Adam is a little trooper, and is looking at a bunch of recovery time and getting used to a new scar from his sternum to his pelvis.

Adam's dad, David gave me an opportunity to illustrate a cover of an arts magazine he started, The MainArtery in 2007. He didn't know me, I didn't know him, but we hit it off. In 2008, We did a dual show together at the Blue Elephant Art Center in Frederick Maryland called Harmonic Dissonance. I got to see David's full body of work and witness his love of art, community, family and faith.

I knew David and his bride had a large family, foster and adopted kids, and being at the opening was quite an event for them. I've only got two. I can't imagine the effort needed to keep their tribe going.

I needed to do something. I'm not in a great position to help - recent graduate, two cars dying in one calendar year, daughter starting college in 2011... It goes on...
I did what I could by offering a piece that has significance to David and my relationship, Vincent Van Toad.

The starting bid was $200, which barely covered the framing. It was an original with a pedigree. Click the image to see the piece up close... Inspect the goods.

Even with the bidding past, there is a 501(c)3 set up to receive your donations. I am planning to print Van Toad "Thank you" prints on archival paper. David is getting me the details.

David Heatwole
304 Bowers St.
Martinsburg, WV 25401