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Every year, I volunteer at the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation "Aspire Gala" which is their big fund raising event of the year (usually raises in excess of $2 Million Dollars annually). Anyways last years event program featured on the cover a picture of the Ripken Family (Jr., Sr. & Billy) from a painting that was done by famed baseball artist, Dick Perez (of Perez-Steele Galleries fame). After the event last year, I emailed Mr. Perez and inquired if lithographs of this painting were available and he responded that unfortunately there wasn't and that he donated his original artwork to the Ripken Sr. Foundation for fundraising purposes.
I then checked with the Ripken people and was told that they yes, indeed they had the original and it would be auctioned off sometime in the future at another event.
To make a long story short, the 2012 Aspire Gala was last evening and included in their auction was indeed the original Perez painting. Even though I was a volunteer at the event, I was permitted to bid and I am pleased to announce that I now own it......The actual size is 24x24 and is stunning..(now I have to find some wall space to display it)...
The 2011 Gala Program:
The painting as it was displayed in the auction last evening:
I then checked with the Ripken people and was told that they yes, indeed they had the original and it would be auctioned off sometime in the future at another event.
To make a long story short, the 2012 Aspire Gala was last evening and included in their auction was indeed the original Perez painting. Even though I was a volunteer at the event, I was permitted to bid and I am pleased to announce that I now own it......The actual size is 24x24 and is stunning..(now I have to find some wall space to display it)...
The 2011 Gala Program:
The painting as it was displayed in the auction last evening:
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