Feb. 13 San Miguel's Own ANTIQUE ROADSHOW

SAN MIGUEL'S OWN ANTIQUE ROADSHOW IS SET FOR FEB. 13 AT FABRICA AURORA.

Have you always wanted to know what Grandma's hat stand was worth? On Saturday, February 13th, as a prelude to the Aves y Agaves Audubon/Charco benefit auction on Sunday, two highly accomplished appraisal experts will be on hand at Fabrica Aurora to help owners find out the value of their possessions. Bring your  heirlooms, antiques and mystery items to Fabrica Aurora from 12 noon to three in the afternoon. Mark Vail, the auctioneer come all the way from New York for the Aves y Agaves benefit, will cast his expert eye on your North American or European objects, while Mort Erlick, a well-known local dealer in Mexican antiques and folk art, will handle and appraise the local objets d'art (and the like).

The "road show" will be held in the main terrace area, right inside the Fabrica. And the price for having up to two items appraised is just 100 pesos, which goes right to Audubon de Mexico and Charco del Ingenio, the two beneficiaries of the Aves y Agaves auction the next day. The Auction on Sunday is being held at El Charco del Ingenio. If there are any tickets left by the Saturday of the appraisals, they will be available there. The two experts are contributing their expertise free of charge to San Miguel's two top nature organizations, too.

Both Audubon and Charco are work hard to preserve, protect and extend the beautiful plant life, avian life and natural setting of San Miguel de Allende against all the encroachments of modern life. The roadshow on Saturday and the auction on Sunday are two of their major sources of income, as well as an opportunity for those in the community who are concerned about the environment to help out. San Miguel's enchanting environment needs you.

“The fundraiser is an important source of support for our organizations,” says Bob Haas, El Charco board member. This is your chance to do good by having fun.

Feb. 14 AVES & AGAVES
Bidding for the Environment

By Signe Hammer

You won’t want to miss the second annual joint fundraiser held by two of our major ecological organizations, Sociedad Audubon de Mexico and El Charco del Ingenio. Under the shade of a spacious circular tent, you’ll enjoy the most beautiful view in San Miguel while helping ensure its survival. You’ll nibble delicious botanas (hors d'oeuvres) and sip drinks from an open bar as you bid for unique, nature-themed art pieces in a fast-paced live auction.

 

Last year’s event, a season highlight, was sold out well in advance. This year, Mark Vail, a professional auctioneer from New York, will wield the gavel for an array of art objects specially created by over 50 of San Miguel’s most talented artists, designers and architects. There will be bird houses, bird feeders, paintings, sculpture, jewelry—all with themes of birds, plants or nature in general. Artists include famed muralist David Leonardo, realist painters Keith Miller and Mary Brenaman, and sculptors Terra Mizwa and Ana Thiel, among many others. To see their names and work, go to the website at http://avesyagaves.org/.

 

The theme, “Aves y Agaves,” perfectly captures the occasion: birds are a key focus of Audubon’s activities, and agaves are one of the many families of succulent plants (including cacti) protected, propagated and grown in El Charco’s botanical garden. After expenses, all funds raised by the event will go to support the important work of these two organizations, which have formed a strategic alliance to further their shared goals of protecting the natural environment, educating people about it, providing nature and wildlife experiences for adults and children, and acting as advocates for the environment, working with government at all levels.

 

The auction will be held at the Plaza de los Cuatro Vientos (Plaza of the Four Winds), El Charco’s ceremonial and scenic gathering place, with views across the canyon, dam, reservoir and high desert landscape to the surrounding mountain ranges. All the art in the auction will be on display in the nearby circular, domed Bóveda. In addition, books, calendars, t-shirts and other nature-themed articles will be available for sale, as will live plants. Bobo Gourmet is providing a mouth-watering menu, with a full range of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.

 

And that’s not all: on Saturday, Mark Vail and Mort Erlick, a well-known local resident knowledgeable about Mexican antiques and folk art, will appraise your heirlooms, tchotchkes and collectibles in an “Antiques Roadshow” style event at Fabrica Aurora. 

 

Sponsors include Harry’s New Orleans Café & Oyster Bar, La Conexion, Green Map San Miguel, Salvemos al Río Laja A.C., Dotty Vidargas Real Estate, Select Real Estate, the Garden Club of San Miguel, Posada Corazon B&B, PARASOL Casa Dragones Tequila and the San Miguel Community Foundation.

 

Don’t wait—seating for the auction is limited! Only 300 tickets will be sold, at Border Crossings, El Tecolote Bookstore, Bobo Gourmet and El Charco del Ingenio Visitors’ Center, or contact Linda Whynman, vellum1@mac.com, or Naomi Zerreffi, nzerriffi@yahoo.com. If you’re not a member of Audubon and/or El Charco, join now and get the member’s discount!

To reserve a feeder or to make plans for delivery contact Linda Whynman.