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Cary Artist Donates Original Abstract Painting To AIA NC Headquarters

Categories: Don Mertz Comments (0)

“Amusement Park I” is currently on display in the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design in downtown Raleigh.

June 11, 2013 (Raleigh, NC) — “Amusement Park I,” a 48-inch by 48-inch mixed media on canvas abstract painting by Cary artist Don Mertz, is currently on loan and displayed in the new AIA NC Center for Architecture & Design in downtown Raleigh, the headquarters of the North Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

A former Marine and 35-year veteran of the corporate world, Don Mertz retired shortly after he and his wife, former model Carolyn

Amusement Park I, 48x48, mixed media on canvas

Amusement Park I, 48×48, mixed media on canvas

Gustafson, moved to Cary from New York City 13 years ago. Since then, Mertz has devoted himself to his post-retirement career as an abstract artist.

“Amusement Park I” is one of a new collection of paintings Don calls his White Series. The paintings in the series are usually square, predominately white and heavily textured, with glimpses of color peaking through the thick, white peaks and valleys.

“The square offers a mathematical and visual simplicity,” he explains. “I can view the whole painting at once without having to adjust my gaze for height or width, as I would with a rectangle. And white has a dream-like quality, suggesting tranquility, clarity, and fresh beginnings. Texture, on the other hand, is visually complicated. So using white to create texture seems, to me, the perfect combination: The simplicity of white meets the complexity of texture.”

The textured, predominately white painting is displayed on a sleek, bright-red wall in the building’s lobby. For more information on the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, go to www.cfadnc.org.

For more information on Don Mertz, visit www.mertzart.com.

About Don Mertz:

Don Mertz is an abstract artist who has lived in Cary for 13 years with his wife, Carol, and their two cats, Fred and Ethel. A former Marine and IBM branch manager, he attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and The Art Students League in New York City where he lived for 25 years. He is a member of the Visual Arts Exchange of Raleigh, the Fine Arts League of Cary and the Durham Art Guild. He is represented by ArtSource Fine Art Gallery in North Hills, Raleigh, NC, and by Joe Rowand Fine Art Services in Chapel Hill, NC. For more information:

Website: www.mertzart.com

Blog: “Mertz Art News & Media”

Facebook: www.facebook.com/donmertzart

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/don-mertz/3/9a4/900

Frank Harmon Architect PA Welcomes Three Summer Interns

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Architecture students have the opportunity to work in a multi-award-winning

The AIA NC Center for Architecture & Design, designed by Frank Harmon Architect PA. The firm’s offices are located on the third floor.

firm.

June 11, 2013 (Raleigh, NC) – Frank Harmon Architect PA, a multi-award-winning architecture firm, welcomes three new interns this summer who will have the opportunity to work with, and study under, noted “green” architect Frank Harmon, FAIA, and his team.

They will also be working within the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, the thoroughly sustainable office building Harmon designed in downtown Raleigh, where his office is now located.

Intern Paul Drake grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and is now a third-year architecture graduate student at NC State University’s College of Design. He previously attended Oberlin College where he learned “an appreciation for sustainability and a do-it-yourself approach,” he says.

After graduating with a degree in physics, Paul switched gears and tried working with his hands. He and his wife moved to Carrboro, NC, and enjoyed various jobs, including organic gardening, edible landscaping, and building houses for Habitat for Humanity. Throughout this work, design became a primary interest, he said, “especially with respect to the interface between the natural and the built environment.” He and his wife are currently building their own home in Pittsboro.

“I’m incredibly excited and honored to have the chance to be an intern for Frank Harmon this summer,” he said.

Intern Andy Park moved to Raleigh from Greensboro in 2009 to study architecture at NC State. Last month, he graduated summa cum laude from the NCSU College of Design with a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture degree and a minor in business administration. He plans to continue his education at NCSU to obtain Bachelor of Architecture this fall.

Andy is “fascinated by technology’s role in design – particularly how smart materials reconcile spatial limitations,” he said. “And I’m thrilled to be working amongst a talented team of individuals. It will be an enlightening summer.”

Matthew Teti, his wife, and son moved to Raleigh from Utah in 2011. They are originally from Burlington, Vermont, where Matthew studied English and Spanish at the University of Vermont. Since then, he has owned and managed a contracting and manufacturing business. He anticipates finishing his Master of Architecture degree at NC State in 2015. He is particularly interested in architecture that links communities with natural and cultural resources.

“I am excited to work at Frank Harmon Architect because of its history with, and commitment to, environmental and cultural educational architecture,” he said.

Frank Harmon is also a Professor in Practice at the NCSU College of Design where he has taught since 1981. After founding his firm in Raleigh in 1985, he has made it a regular practice to work with architectural interns and young architects. “It’s an honor to work with architectural interns who have so much talent and promise,” he said recently. “They are the future of the profession.”

For more information, visit www.frankharmon.com.

About Frank Harmon Architect PA:

Frank Harmon Architect PA, an award-winning architectural firm, is nationally recognized as a leader in modern, innovative, sustainable, and regionally appropriate design. The firm is especially known for its environmental education projects. In 2012 Harmon’s firm ranked 17^th in Architecture magazine’s Top 50 Firms in the nation. In 2010, Frank Harmon was included in Residential Architect magazine’s “RA 50: The short list of architects we love.” For more information:

Website: www.frankharmon.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/frankharmonarchitect

Pinterest: http://pinterest/blueplate/frank-harmon-architect-pa/

Tumblr: http://frankharmon.tumblr.com

Byrd Tile Distributors To Host June’s “Thirst4Architecture” Happy Hour

Categories: Triangle Modernist Houses Comments (0)

Triangle Modernist Houses’ monthly networking event for design enthusiasts.

June 5, 2013 (Raleigh, NC) – Byrd Tile Distributors will host Triangle Modernist Houses’ (TMH) popular “Thirst4Architecture” happy hour in the company’s Raleigh showroom on Thursday, June 27, from 6-8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will include food, drinks, and live music.

Thirst4Architecture (T4A) events are casual gathering opportunities for anyone interested in architecture and design. The host business provides refreshments and other entertainment.

“T4A events focus on building relationships, generating passion about good design, creating strategic alliances, and connecting people to each other,” said TMH founder and director George Smart. “We welcome Modernist homeowners, architects, artists, designers, realtors, engineers, contractors, property investors, building managers, materials and furniture dealers, and anyone else with a huge crush on great architecture.”

Byrd Tile Distributors is a locally owned and operated supplier for kitchen, bathroom, entry, fireplace, living area, and outdoor applications. Herbert Byrd founded the company in 1975. His son Greg has continued to run it since 1982 and added another showroom in Greenville. The Raleigh showroom is located at 3400 Tarheel Drive. For more information visit www.byrdtile.com.

For more information on Triangle Modernist Houses and other T4A events, go to www.trianglemodernisthouses.com.

About Triangle Modernist Houses:

Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH) is a 501C3 nonprofit established in 2007 and dedicated to restoring and growing modernist residential architecture in the Triangle region. The award-winning website, now the largest educational and historical archive for modernist residential design in America, continues to catalog, preserve, and advocate for North Carolina modernism. TMH also hosts popular modernist house tours several times a year, giving the public access to the Triangle’s most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours raise awareness and help preserve these “livable works of art” for future generations. For more information:

Website: www.trianglemodernisthouses.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Triangle-Modernist-Houses97954432790

Twitter: https://twiiter.com/georgesmartTMH/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/triangle-modernist-houses-inc.

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/b1uep1ate/triangle-modernist-houses/

Food Truck Chefs Join The Competition For This Year’s Epicurious Vino Challenge

Categories: RHA Howell Inc. Comments (0)

RHA Howell announces the 2013 line-up for its popular food-and-wine fundraiser.

June 3, 2013 (Raleigh, NC) — Food trucks, a new fixture in the modern culinary world, are the fastest-growing segment of the dining industry, according to a recent ABC News report. And this year, chefs from three of these restaurants-on-wheels will join other “brick-and-mortar” chefs and culinary students for the annual Epicurious Vino Challenge, which will be held again at Hinnant Family Vineyards in Pine Level, NC, on June 29 from 6-10 p.m.

The Epicurious Vino Challenge is RHA Howell’s most popular annual fundraiser with all proceeds benefitting children and adults with disabilities that the statewide non-profit organization has served for 40 years.

The Challenge requires participating chefs to select one of Hinnant’s award-winning wines and use it to create a signature dish. On the night of the event, the chefs set up tables in the winery’s Tank Room and serve their dishes to all the guests. The crowd then votes for the People’s Choice winners while a panel of professional chefs from U.S. Food Service selects the Chefs’ Choice winners in an evaluation of taste, presentation, and use of the chosen Hinnant Wine.

The Porchetta food truck

RHA Howell confirmed the line-up recently, which, for the first time, includes food truck chefs. The professionals and students who will compete in the 2013 Epicurious Vino Challenge are:

Chef Nick Crosson of Porchetta Food Truck & Catering, who chose “Loggerhead Red,” a semi-sweet red with fruit tones and a crisp finish.
Chef Mike of Blue Sky Dining Food Truck, who chose Southern Red, perfect for cured meats, BBQ, and pasta.
Chef Ashley Cogdell and Team Chirba of Chirba Chirba Dumpling Truck, who chose “Carolina Wildflower,” a sweet floral white.
Chefs Jennifer and Mark Gibbons of Tickle My Ribs restaurant in Burlington, who selected “Norton,” a full-bodied dry red wine with a hint of oak.
Chef Wes Dills, events manager at Hinnant Family Vineyards, who selected the semi-sweet “Blanc du Bois,” a fruity wine with tropical notes of grapefruit and pineapple.
Chef Seth Batchelor of Odds & Endive Food Service Consulting in Durham, who selected a sweeter version of the tropical “Banc de Bois.”
Chef Trista Rose Swinson of Sweetened Celebrations in Selma, who selected “Strawberry,” a sweet wine made entirely from local strawberries.
Culinary student Antonia Caldera of The Art Institute of Raleigh/Durham, who chose the “Pomegranate,” a slightly sweet and tart wine.
Culinary student James (Beau) Schoenholz of The Art Institute of Raleigh/Durham, who chose the Chardonnay with hints of citrus and green apple.
Chef James Casellow of Zest Café & Home Art in Raleigh, who selected the “Tar Heel Red,” a medium-sweet red muscadine wine.

“EVA 2012,” oil on canvas, painted live during the event by Brenda Behr.

Along with the opportunity to sample original dishes, the event will include music provided by the popular band “Idle Threat,” free wine tastings, specialty martinis, and a live auction. Proceeds from the auction will also benefit children and adults with disabilities.

Sponsors for the 2013 Epicurous Vino Challenge are: RHA Howell, Hinnant Family Vineyards, U.S. Food Service, Southern Pharmacy Services, Triangle Arts and Entertainment, Nomacorc, Van Products, Morcom Medical Associates, Wake Stone Corporation, and Telepathic Graphics.

Tickets to the Epicurious Vino Challenge are $40 for individual outdoor seating, $60 for reserved individual indoor seating, $300 for reserved patio tables (seating 10), and $500 for reserved indoor tables (seating 10). Tickets can be ordered at http://www.rhahowell.org/EVC.aspx.

Hinnant Family Vineyards, the largest muscadine vineyard in North Carolina, is located at 826 Pine Level Micro Rd, Pine Level, NC 27568 (919-965-3350). For directions: www.hinnantvineyards.com.

For more information on the Epicurious Vino Challenge and RHA Howell, visit www.rhahowell.org.

About RHA Howell:

RHA Howell has been providing supports and services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for more than 35 years. We work closely with individuals and their families to make their lives as independent as possible with an emphasis on community inclusion. Mrs. Irene Howell founded the original Howell Care Center in 1970. Over the next 30 years, Mrs. Howell established a network of Howell Care Centers and, upon her retirement, entrusted her legacy to RHA Health Services. Today, RHA Howell, Inc., carries on the Howell Care Centers tradition. For more information: www.rhahowell.org.

Raleigh Designer Vinny Petrarca To Serve On National Awards Jury

Categories: Tonic Design + Tonic Construction Comments (0)

Tonic Design + Tonic Construction principal will help select the 2013 Builder’s

Vinny Petrarca of Tonic Design + Tonic Construction (photo by Allen Weiss)

Choice and Custom Home Design awards winners.

May 31, 2013 (Raleigh, NC) — Award-winning designer Vinny Petrarca, a principal in the design/build firm Tonic Design + Tonic Construction in Raleigh, has been selected to serve as a juror for the 2013 Builder’s Choice and Custom Home Design Awards, a national competition sponsored by Custom Homes and Builder magazines, both Hanley Wood LLC publications.

In her invitation to participate on the jury, Shelley Hutchins, senior editor for both Builder and Custom Home magazines, noted Petrarca’s “expertise in design and sustainability.”

Petrarca and his firm have been recipients of Custom Home Design Awards twice: in 2005 for Tonic’s McCowan Kitchen project and in 2008 for the Chiles Residence.

“It is such an honor to be invited to serve as a juror for this national competition,” Petrarca said. “I’m also looking forward to being able to see some of the finest work by some of the finest architects and designers across the country.”

This year, the Hanley Wood awards program combines formerly separate programs – Custom Home Design Awards, Builder’s Choice awards, and the EcoHome awards — into one competition.

According to Hutchins, the new program received 600 entries this year, so judging will take place over two days, June 17-18, in the Hanley Wood offices at One Thomas Circle in downtown Washington, D.C.

The judging is blind and based on the architectural merit of the entries. The jury will make its selections independent of the Builder and Custom Home editorial staff, and will select Grand and Merit award winners in 27 categories of residential design and planning. The jury will also select a Best Project of the Year from among the Grand award-winning built entries.

The winning entries will be featured in the Fall 2013 issue of Custom Home and the October 2013 issue of Builder. (To see the winners from last year’s Custom Home competition: http://www.customhomeonline.com/houses/award-winning/custom-home-design-awards.aspx.)

Along with Petrarca, the 2013 jury will include: George Fritz of Horizon Builders; Steve James of DTJ Design; Rene Oehlerking of Garbett Homes; Michael Pyatok of Pyatok Architects; and Teresa Rosano of Ibarra Rosano Design Architects.

Tonic Design + Tonic Construction has received 26 design awards from 2005 to today. For more information visit www.tonic-design.com.

About Tonic Design + Tonic Construction:

As two separate but interacting companies, Tonic Design and Tonic Construction work toward executing sensitive modern design solutions that make a difference in their clients’ lives. Owned and operated by Vinny Petrarca and Katherine Hogan, Tonic has the flexibility to take on the role of designer or general contractor, or to collaborate together as an award-winning design-build firm. The firm’s projects have been featured in many national publications, including Architectural Record, Residential Architect, Dwell, Custom Homes, Informmagazine, and Metal Architecture. For more information visit www.tonic-design.com.

Forget Curb Appeal: Outdoor Living, Energy Savings Define Contemporary House For Auction June 13

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John Lindsey-designed home in Carrboro will go to the highest bidder this month.

The entire back of the house opens to outdoor living.

May 30, 2013 (Carrboro, NC) – When is “curb appeal” not important for selling a house? Most realtors would exclaim, “Never!” Yet a particular contemporary house in Carrboro, which will be sold at auction on June 13, purposefully turns its back on the approaching street, saving its best, most alluring feature for the private woods and natural light behind the house.

Designed by noted Chapel Hill interior designer John Lindsey and built in 1980, this 1592-square-foot home at 108 Calumet Court, Carrboro (27510) is all about privacy on the street-facing elevation where the main entrance is located.

But at the rear, away from the street, the entire one-level home opens onto a sweeping, 800-square-foot outdoor pavilion that accommodates a variety of outdoor uses: dining, entertaining, lounging, and wildlife observation, to name a few. All of these outdoor “rooms” form the pavilion, which is comprised of:

A 12.5-foot by 8.4-foot sun porch with two-story glass atrium and pergola
A 15.1-foot by 12.4-foot brick patio
And a 36-foot by 19.5-foot wooden deck

“This would be a dream home for a small family, empty-nesters, or a retired couple who loves living with the outdoors,” said real

The Pavilion accommodates a variety of uses, from dining to wildlife observation.

estate auctioneer Sarah Sonke of AuctionFirst, the boutique brokerage and auction company that will conduct the home’s auction on June 13. “And the landscaping is primarily a natural wooded setting with only small patches of lawn, so there’s lots of outdoor space to explore and enjoy but very little mowing needed.”

The exterior of the house features painted wood siding and a brand-new, shingled hip roof (installed May 2013). A gravel driveway leads from the street, through the trees, and down a hill to the house.

The interior’s central common spaces – living/dining/kitchen areas — open onto the outdoor pavilion. Two bedroom wings, or suites, flank the central space and also open onto the pavilion via sliding glass doors. The master bedroom suite measures 17 by 14 square feet. The second bedroom is 12 by 11 square feet.

Another unusual aspect of this Carrboro house is the earth berming.

Three sides of the house are built into the property’s hillside with ground level rising up to the base of the windows. An energy-conservation feature, earth berming is a low-tech method for utilizing the steady geothermal heat and cooling from the ground (as opposed to high-tech geothermal heat pumps that are gaining popularity today). Earth-bermed homes stay relatively warm even on the coldest winter night and stay cool in the summer as they take advantage of the cooler, underground temperatures often noticed in basements. The result is considerable energy savings: The owner of this home reports paying an average of $130 per month for all utilities.

The living/dining/kitchen area occupies the center of the house, flanked by two bedroom suites.

The owner, who is retiring and moving to Asheville, chose to sell the house via auction because the home is being sold “as-is” and the auction process creates a sense of urgency and competition, which brings fair market value. “This home has terrific design but needs some TLC,” Sonke said. “It will be sold as-is and we expect someone to get a great buy on it, who will then add some new paint and carpet, make some upgrades, and have a delightful contemporary home.”

For more information on 108 Calumet Court and the auction process, go to www.CarrboroAuction.com. For a complete auction bid package, call Sarah Sonke at 919-601-7339 or Christy Kimbro at 919-619-7347.

About AuctionFirst:

AuctionFirst is a boutique brokerage and auction company that specializes in accelerated auction marketing for: new and older single-family homes; residential and commercial historic property; condominiums (residential and commercial), townhomes, and duplexes; coastal homes and property and mountain retreats; farm land and lots for development; and benefit auctions. Though headquartered near Raleigh, North Carolina, the company handles auctions throughout the state and nationwide through affiliate companies. For more information visit www.auctionfirst.com, email auctionfirstinfo@gmail.com, or call 919-601-7339.

Raleigh Nightspot Amplifies Social Media Marketing With Video Sneak-Peek Inside

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Raleigh-based photographer/filmmaker Allen Weiss has created a new video for Oryx Ultralounge that’s intended to amplify and energize social media marketing for this popular nightspot in the Glenwood South entertainment district.

Adam Ajaj, one of the partners in Oryx, asked Weiss to capture the “young, energetic vibe” of his nightspot.

A moment in the Oryx video.

“I knew a video would be a good tool to attract a young crowd to Oryx, especially on Facebook, so I asked my friend Allen to use his expertise to do this. We wanted to make sure we were sending the right message – that Oryx is the place for the young, energetic, fun, and stylish crowd on Glenwood South,” said Ajaj, who also owns the Glenwood Avenue convenience store, Raleigh Beverage, and a new neighborhood bar next door to it, Havoc.

“The importance of quality video as a marketing tool can’t be underestimated,” Weiss said. “YouTube has the highest time-on-site rate of any social media platform. Why? Because it’s such a powerful tool for storytelling. If people have a choice between reading a lot of text or clicking on a video, guess what they’ll choose? A well-done three-minute video tells a business’s story immediately.”

What story does Ajaj’s new video tell? “The flavor and essence of the Oryx experience,” Weiss said. “In two minutes, it tells you exactly what a typical night at Oryx might be.”

To get the story, Weiss spent several evenings in Oryx capturing (with patrons’ permission) groups of young, well-dressed folks laughing and talking; bartenders creating cocktails; and cocktail waitresses interacting with the crowd, all while interior lights cast various colors across the room and the driving beat of a soundtrack echoes the energy of the place.

Weiss smiled as he recalled his assignment. “It’s refreshing to work directly with a client I know as well as I know Adam, especially when the assignment is ‘shoot some cool stuff.’ Period. Adam gave me total access and freedom to shoot and edit as I pleased. Directors seldom get such a gloves-off approach.” To view the Oryx video: https://vimeo.com/62710192

Allen Weiss is an accomplished photographer, videographer, filmmaker, and director who honed his visual storytelling skills by directing, and often filming, national and international television commercials and public service announcements. For more information, visit www.allen-weiss.com or contact him at allenmarkweiss@gmail.com.

Allen Weiss.

About Allen Weiss:

After 15 years as a professional photographer in Raleigh and New York, Allen Weiss turned his attention towards short films, public service announcements and television commercials, both regionally and internationally. Recently, he launched Allen Weiss: Works on Film & Paper to offer still photography of all varieties, film and video (director, DP, cameraman), and freelance writing/branding. For more information visit www.allen-weiss.com.

Raleigh Nightspot Amplifies Social Media Marketing With Video Production

Categories: Allen Weiss Comments (0)

Oryx Ultralounge commissions Allen Weiss for a video sneak-peek inside.

May 21, 2013 (Raleigh, NC) — Raleigh-based photographer/filmmaker Allen Weiss has created a new video for Oryx Ultralounge that’s intended to amplify and energize social media marketing for this popular nightspot in the Glenwood South entertainment district.

Adam Ajaj, one of the partners in Oryx, asked Weiss to capture the “young, energetic vibe” of his nightspot.

A moment within the Oryx video by Allen Weiss

What story does Ajaj’s new video tell? “The flavor and essence of the Oryx experience,” Weiss said. “In two minutes, it tells you exactly what a typical night at Oryx might be.”

About Allen Weiss:

TMH Announces The 2013 George Matsumoto Prize For Modernist Houses

Categories: Triangle Modernist Houses Comments (0)

This unique architecture competition celebrates Modernist residential design

Last year’s Prize winner: the Banbury house designed by John Reese, AIA. Photo by Mark Herboth.

throughout North Carolina.

May 20, 2013 (Durham, NC) – George Smart, Executive Director of Triangle Modernist Houses (TMH), has announced the 2013 George Matsumoto Prize to recognize excellence in recent single-family Modernist residential design in North Carolina. Submissions are being accepted starting today.

Now in its second year, the Prize is named for George Matsumoto, FAIA, a founding member of the NC State University School of Design faculty who is well known for the mid-century Modernist houses he designed in North Carolina.

The Matsumoto Prize is a unique design awards program. Unlike other programs, the Prize offers monetary rewards ($6000 total), online public voting along with a blue-ribbon professional jury, and this program focuses on the houses submitted rather than those who designed them: The houses, built since January 1, 2007, must be in North Carolina but the designers can be from anywhere and they do not have to be licensed architects or members of the American Institute of Architects. (In North Carolina, you do not have to be a licensed architect to design a private residence.)

The Matsumoto Prize is also transparent. All information submitted, including the designer’s name, will be published online and available to the jurors and the public. The public vote counts for one-sixth of the jury decision for the final award winners. The houses with the highest number of public votes will also receive special “People’s Choice” recognition. Public voting will begin on www.trianglemodernisthouses.com in early July and end July 20^th.

Again this year, George Matsumoto will serve as the jury’s Honorary Chair. Also returning to the jury are: Frank Harmon, FAIA, (Chair) of Frank Harmon Architect PA, Raleigh; Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, of Marlon Blackwell Architect, Fayetteville, Arkansas; Tom Kundig, FAIA, of Olson Kundig Architects, Seattle, Washington; and Larry Scarpa, FAIA, of Brooks + Scarpa Architects, Los Angeles, California.

Triangle Modernist Houses is an award-winning, non-profit organization dedicated to documenting, preserving, and promoting Modernist residential design. According to George Smart, the objectives for the Matsumoto Prize are “to expand the public’s awareness about the great inventory of North Carolina Modernist houses, to showcase the skills of the North Carolina residential design community, and to inform the public that great design can be well within a homebuyer’s reach.”

“We hope these entries demonstrate to the public that Modernist design is affordable, efficient, sustainable, and most importantly, a house a family will love decades,” he added. “We also want potential homeowners to realize that, by using an architect or designer, they can have a great home for the same budget as an ordinary house.”

Competition rules, submission procedures, and deadlines are available online at www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/prize2013. To see last year’s submissions and winners: http://www.trianglemodernisthouses.com/prize.htm.

About Triangle Modernist Houses:

Website: www.trianglemodernisthouses.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Triangle-Modernist-Houses97954432790

Twitter: https://twiiter.com/georgesmartTMH/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/triangle-modernist-houses-inc.

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/b1uep1ate/triangle-modernist-houses/

NC Artist Donates Large Abstract Painting To The 2013 “Wish Ball” Auction

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“Where Have All The Balloons Gone II” by Don Mertz

For the seventh year, Don Mertz helps to raise funds for Make-A-Wish-Foundation.

North Carolina abstract artist Don Mertz of Cary has donated an original painting, entitled “Where Have All the Balloons Gone II,” to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Eastern North Carolina, for its annual “Wish Ball” fundraising event.

The gala ball, including a live auction, will be held at the Raleigh Marriot City Center, downtown Raleigh, on Saturday, May 18.

This is the seventh year in a row that Mertz has donated his original abstract paintings to help raise funds for Make-A-Wish, the non-profit organization that grants wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

“I donate paintings to four or five different charity auctions every year, and I make it a point not to miss this Make-A-Wish,” Mertz said. “I hope my art can, in some small way, help them in the supportive and caring work they do.”

“Where Have All The Balloons Gone II” is a 30-inch wide by 40-inch high, non-representational, mixed media on canvas painting of exuberant colors, textures, and drip lines.

“I approach my canvasses in a childlike manner,” he explains, “eager to play and to capture the spontaneity, exuberance, and joy of discovery that a child feels when creating art. Yet all the while I am guided by my adult sense of composition. What appears on the canvas is the result of my feelings, influenced by my memories, moods, anxieties, fears, thoughts, or what I had for lunch. There is no subject matter to be recognized; no hidden messages to be interpreted, no angst being resolved.”

Mertz’s abstract paintings have been shown widely in the Triangle area and are included in numerous corporate and private collections.

The Wish Ball brings together business leaders, community activists, and philanthropists. The evening begins with a reception honoring sponsors, followed by dinner, live and silent auctions, live music and dancing. Proceeds from the Ball event help to grant wishes to children in the 49 counties of eastern North Carolina.

For more information on Don Mertz, visit www.mertzart.com.

About Don Mertz:

Don Mertz is an abstract artist who has lived in Cary for 13 years with his wife, Carol, and their two cats, Fred and Ethel. A former Marine and IBM branch manager, he attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and The Art Students League in New York City where he lived for 25 years. He is a member of the Visual Arts Exchange of Raleigh, the Fine Arts League of Cary and the Durham Art Guild. He is represented by ArtSource Fine Art Gallery in North Hills, Raleigh, NC, and by Joe Rowand Art Fine Art Services in Chapel Hill, NC. For more information:

Website: www.mertzart.com

Blog: “Mertz Art News & Media,” http://mertzart.wordpress.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/donmertzart

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pub/don-mertz/3/9a4/900