On Wednesday morning August 8th the studio of artists Christina Bothwell and her husband Robert Bender burned to the ground. Happily no one was hurt in the fire but most of their artworks as well as all of their studio equipment have been destroyed
As self-supporting artists, Christina and Robert and their three children are always living on a financial razor’s edge. They did have some insurance for the studio, however the insurance carrier has initially denied their claim. They also lost all of their works in progress and some completed works as well, so this calamity is hitting them hard. As many of you know, works in the artist’s chosen medium take months to complete, and they will be starting from square one after the rebuilding of the structure. As their dealers and friends we want to do whatever we can to help make it possible for them to rebuild as quickly as possible.
With this goal in mind Austin Art Projects, Habatat Galleries and Heller Gallery have worked together to create an on-line exhibition from surviving artworks that are in our three galleries. A catalog is attached here. All proceeds from sales will go to Christina and Robert. Should you have been considering acquiring a sculpture by Christina this would be a wonderful time to do so! Please feel free to contact any of the three galleries to discuss works or any questions you may have.
Christina and Robert will need new equipment before they can begin working again. They require kilns, and an extensive list of tools and supplies. Another way to help would be to donate towards the replacement of their lost equipment. Many of you have personal ties to Christina and Robert and have inquired as to how they and their family are. In this spirit, we thought it would be best for any donations to be made directly to them at the address below.
Christina Bothwell and Robert Bender 148 Karns Rd. Stillwater, PA 17878
Heller Gallery (212) 414-4014 Douglas@hellergallery.com
Austin Art Projects (760) 636-2834 David@austinartprojects.com
Habatat Galleries (248) 554-0590 Corey@habatat.com