Special guest, Bernie Parent, to serve as auctioneer for Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation Fundraiser
Impressionistic artist Samir Sammoun’s first visit to Ocean Galleries in Stone Harbor, New Jersey (9618 Third Avenue/609.368.7777) over Memorial Day weekend will be a special one for him for several reasons. Through a generous painting donation, he will be raising money for youths, one of his lifelong passions, and mingling with fellow Canadian hockey superstar Bernie Parent, who will serve as guest auctioneer.
On Saturday, May 25, Ocean Galleries is hosting an Exhibit Preview Party from 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM with two time Stanley Cup winner Bernie Parent and his wife, Gini, on hand helping to raise money for the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. Sammoun has generously donated a 24” x 30” original oil painting, “Tuscany Vineyard (pictured above),” which Ocean Galleries has custom framed, giving the painting a total retail value of over $15,000. Well known as being one of the greatest goaltenders of all time, Bernie Parent will be the guest auctioneer for the Live Auction of the donated painting, which is slated to being at 6:45 PM.
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“Samir Sammoun – Master Impressionist”
Artist Samir Sammoun will be at Ocean Galleries throughout Memorial Day weekend with a new collection of art, “Master Impressionist,” and will meet guests and sign purchased artwork at receptions taking place 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26, 2019. The receptions and the Exhibit Preview Party with guest auctioneer Bernie Parent are free and open to the public, with all artwork available for acquisition. The Samir Sammoun exhibition is open daily from 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday, and 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM on Monday.
Sammoun’s dramatic artwork is often compared to such great Masters as Vincent Van Gogh and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Often inspired by his worldwide travels, including yearly visits to his family’s 100+ year old olive farm in Lebanon, Sammoun is best known for his gorgeous oil paintings of landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes, each enveloping the viewer and transporting them to a specific location and moment in time. And like the charming artist himself, each of his paintings has an energetic, yet peaceful, personality.
In addition to his passion for art, Samir has a special place in his heart for children. “My special son has given me a unique perspective on how important it is to support our children. When I learned of the Ed Snider Foundation and the great work they do in teaching our youth important life skills through hockey, I was honored to donate a piece of artwork to help support their mission,” said Sammoun. “Of course, being a Canadian, I am a huge fan of hockey and was thrilled that the iconic Bernie Parent would be on hand to help us raise money with the auction.”
Bernie Parent has been a longtime supporter and ambassador of the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. The retired professional ice hockey goaltender played 13 National Hockey League seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs, and also spent one season in the World Hockey Association with the Philadelphia Blazers. Parent is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest goaltenders of all time, having helped the Flyers win two Stanley Cups, while personally winning the Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy both seasons. Parent is a 1984 inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and was recently named one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” in history.
The Live Auction artwork donated by Samir Sammoun and custom framed by Ocean Galleries is called “Tuscany Vineyard”. As the name suggests, the 24” x 30” original oil painting captures the essence of the famed Italian landscape and transports the viewer into the rows of grape vineyards.
All money raised through the auction of the beautiful painting will be donated to the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. The Foundation was created by the late Philadelphia Flyers Chairman, Ed Snider, in 2005 as his personal commitment to teach children important life lessons. Using the sport of hockey, the mission of Snider Hockey is to build lives and unite communities. The organization is focused on underserved boys and girls who otherwise would not have the opportunity to play, with an emphasis on character development, life skills, fitness, nutrition, and academics.
“Samir Sammoun – Master Impressionist” will be at Ocean Galleries throughout Memorial Day weekend. Sammoun’s first-time exhibit in Stone Harbor is an all new collection of art, including many international landscapes from Lebanon, Italy, Canada, and other destinations, as well as numerous beach themed and regional cityscapes. Meet the artist at gallery receptions 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26. The exhibition is free with all artwork in the collection available for acquisition.
In addition to an extraordinary collection of artwork and custom-framing, Ocean Galleries also offers a variety of hand-made crafts from local, regional, and national artists in America, such as glass, pottery, jewelry, and furniture. All summer exhibitions take place at the Stone Harbor location of Ocean Galleries (9618 Third Avenue). For more information, call 609-368-7777.
Using the sport of hockey, the mission of the Ed Snider Hockey Foundation is to build lives and unite communities, helping educate young people to succeed in the game of life. For more information, call 215-760-2888, or visit Snider Hockey at http://sniderhockey.org/, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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