Mark Lawson to Be On-Air Auctioneer for the 2006 WMHT Art Auction

Auction will run two nights on WMHT-TV to benefit the programs and services of public broadcasting on WMHT. Auction items include works by Chris O’Leary, David Olander and Nicholas Luisi.

Mark Lawson, proprietor of Mark Lawson Antiques, Inc., Saratoga Springs, N.Y., is pleased to announce he will once again be a part of the annual WMHT Art Auction, serving as auctioneer for the on-air event, which takes place Friday, January 27, and Saturday, January 28. The auction will be broadcast Friday from 8 p.m. until midnight; and Saturday from 4 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. Mr. Lawson is a proud underwriter of WMHT-TV, and he has served as auctioneer for the WMHT Art Auction since the inception of the on-air fund-raising event in 2004.

“It’s a thrill and an honor to return to the WMHT studios for the 2006 Art Auction,” says Mr. Lawson, “I always look forward to presenting the varied and superb works which are donated. The auction has been quite successful in the past, and the quality of this year’s offerings is simply outstanding.”

Donated works include Dancers and Tiger, an oil and acrylic on canvas by noted artist Chris O’Leary, originally commissioned by the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and donated by the artist. The estimated retail price of the painting is $5,000, and the opening bid will be $1,500. Also included in the auction is a work by David Olander of Latham, N.Y., entitled Brunch – Nicole’s Bistro, a work in oil on cotton. It’s estimated at $4,500, with an opening bid of $1,350. A Nicholas Luisi painting – Courtyard-Yaddo – is also to be presented, depicting a wonderful Saratoga Springs, N.Y., scene. This work is donated by Green River Gallery of Millerton, N.Y., and is estimated at $4,100, with an opening bid of $1,230.

All of the items, which, in addition to paintings, include fine artisan jewelry, photographs sculpture and prints, are previewable online, with “pre-bids” and proxy limit bids accepted on more than 200 donated works of art. Pre-bidding closes at noon on the day of the live auction broadcasts on WMHT-TV.

Press quote requests and other inquiries should be directed to Mark Lawson at (518) 587-8787.