Johannesburg - An Irma Stern painting of a distinguished Omani Arab man was auctioned off for R17.2-million in Johannesburg on Monday night, the auctioneer said.
The painting “Arab” achieved the second-highest price ever for a painting sold on auction in South Africa, Strauss & Company spokesperson Bina Genovese said in a statement.
The highest price was reached last year when the company sold Stern's “Two Arabs” for R21 166 000.
“Arab” had been expected to fetch between R7-million and R9-million. It went to a South African buyer after “fierce bidding”.
Another notable record at the auction was that Alfred Thoba's “1976 Riots” sold for R913 480 - over R800 000 more than his previous record.
Two works by Robert Hodgins, “Et in Arcadia Ego” and “A Gentleman from Mexico”, sold for R1 002 600 and R779 800 respectively, setting a new record for the artist.
“Arab” was painted on Stern's first visit to Zanzibar in 1939, when Zanzibar was still under the reign of an Omani Sultan - Seyyid Khalifa Bin Haroub. It had been in the same family since it was purchased directly from the artist by the present owner's mother over 70 years ago, and had never before appeared on the market. - Sapa
Source: www.iol.co.za
Painting with pride - Wichita Falls Times Record News
Christopher Walker/Times Record News Hailey Dorsman, one of 10 student painters, paints door frames Monday at Kirby Junior High School. The school district rewards its better students a chance at the summer job.
Christopher Walker/Times Record News Christopher Witter, 21, paints doorways at Kirby Junior High School Monday. This is the fourth year he has painted for the school district. Already, the student team is ahead of schedule, according to foreman Jim Gideon.
High-achievingstudents take this summer job seriously
By Ann Work
worka@timesrecordnews.com 940-763-7538
Ten students found their summer jobs at — of all places — the school district, where they're working as part of a summer student paint crew.
Maintenance Director Dan Shelton brought the idea of summer paint crews with him to the Wichita Falls Independent School District when he came 13 years ago, but he's been perfecting the concept ever since.
One year he hired coaches. Another year, he hired disadvantaged youths. But this year he believes he has the best group yet.
"We contact our high schools and offer employment opportunities to the better performing students — specifically those in the top 25 percent of the class," he said.
As it turns out, the top performing academics bring their strong work ethic and talents to his projects, too.
"The kids who work hard in the classroom and get good grades tend to be a better fit for us," he said.
He hires men and women, with the men usually specializing in the rolling and broad strokes and the women becoming experts at painting trim.
He starts each painter at minimum wage.
This year's student paint crew began by painting classrooms at McNiel Junior High School for two weeks — 60 gallons worth of paint projects — and now have moved on to Kirby Junior High, where they're painting lockers.
Soon they'll move on to Zundelowitz Junior high, then to Rider High School.
The students work daily from 6:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. for 10 weeks in classrooms and hallways where there may — or may not — be air conditioning.
This group has been so hardworking that the team already is ahead of schedule, Shelton said.
"This is the first time where the whole lot of them would be welcome to come back next year," he said.
That hasn't always been the case, according to Jim Gideon, who has painted for WFISD for 28 years and is foreman to the student paint crews.
In past years, he's fired a few.
"This is the best group I've had," he said. "They listen. They work cohesively. They're trying. All I ask them to do is try and pay attention to what you're doing. Try to stay neat. My job is to not make more jobs for the custodians. We've got to be like ninjas — come in, do our job and let
them not know we've been there."
In the beginning years, Shelton parceled out the painting jobs to disadvantaged youth who most needed jobs, but the results were disastrous.
"The problems they would bring! The fights. The bickering. We couldn't rely on them," Shelton said. "We tried. It just didn't work. They just brought so much else to the job that it made the job almost impossible."
Gideon remembers one group that shut down all efforts when he went off to the paint store, setting up a lookout to watch for his return.
He and assistant foreman Ed Poore went from "pulling our hair out" to — this year — "just happy to come to work in the morning," he said.
This is the fourth year that Christopher Witter, 21, has painted for WFISD during the summer.
Currently a Texas Christian University student, he is a Hirschi graduate from the Class of 2009.
"This is the best of the four (crews) I've ever worked on," he said. "Everybody has a good work ethic and wants to be here."
Over the years, he's learned that painting is "not as easy as people think it is," he said. "I never realized how much prep work there was until I started."
Working for WFISD has been a good summer job for him, he said. "Jim and Ed are probably the nicest bosses we'll ever have."
Hailey Dorsman, 20, is a Rider graduate from the Class of 2011 who is fitting in the painting job with three weeks of Army ROTC training.
It's her first try at painting, where she is the crew's only female.
"I respect the people who paint our schools because it's so freaking hard!" she said. "If you don't do it perfectly, people will notice it."
But even after just two weeks on the job, she already can spot her own mistakes and fix them, she said.
Each received minimal training — just a few on-the-job tips and a little on technique.
Patrick Haynes, 18, a Hirschi senior, heard about the job from his counselor.
"It was hard at the beginning," he said. "I got used to it. Your arms get tired."
Brandon Sheppard, 18, graduated from Hirschi in May and is painting for the second summer to earn college money.
Gideon gave him a few days off last week to play in the 75th annual Oil Bowl, but this week he was back to sanding and painting.
"Your eyes are your best tools," he said, a tip he learned from Gideon.
Gideon, who never had any children of his own, said he's learned a lot of patience over the years working with student paint teams.
He varies the work to suit the students so they won't grow weary or bored.
After all, two months of sanding and painting only lockers might be tolerable for a regular crew but could drive away his students, he said.
He also gives each of them a week or two off so they can do summer things, like take a family vacation, participate in a mission trip or visit grandma and grandpa.
"I want it to be a good experience for them," he said.
Shelton said he had no trouble finding the 10 students to put on his crew, and that many are waiting in the wings for any who fall out.
"I could have employed 50," Shelton said.
Follow Ann Work on Twitter @AnnWork1
Source: www.timesrecordnews.com
Planned Furniture Promotions names Robert Rosenberg a VP - Furniture Today
Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, June 11, 2012
ENFIELD, Conn. — Liquidator and promotional sales company Planned Furniture Promotions has promoted Robert Rosenberg to vice president.
Rosenberg, 32, grandson of PFP co-owner and Bob's Discount Furniture founder Gene Rosenberg, will oversee various events, merchandising, and operations of the company and "will be a key component in further improving PFP's well-known and respected event success," according to a release.
Rosenberg joins the PFP executive team after working his way up through almost every role in the company. He started as a warehouse hand in 2003, moved into store sales, became an assistant event coordinator and finally an event manager.
"Rosenberg conducted record breaking events for the company, not only in gross sales, but in profits and satisfaction for PFP clients," the company said.
Among others, Rosenberg has been involved in industry events and sales at Levitz, Modernage, Sofa Express, American Home, Georgetown Interiors, Sussan Furniture, Mazer's and most recently at Furniture Warehouse in Salt Lake City.
"I've watched Rob move through the ranks and when this new promotion was suggested by our executive team, I could not have been more pleased," Gene Rosenberg said. "Rob has worked hard and excelled on behalf of the company and our clients," he said, adding that the promotion in "well-deserved."
Rosenberg joins other PFP executives Roy Hester, Burt Homonoff, Mark Bannon and Tom Liddell. The Enfield, Conn.-based company is led by Gene Rosenberg and Paul Cohen, co-founders of PFP, which is celebrating 50 years in business.
Source: www.furnituretoday.com
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