Artwork inspired by Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou focus of charity auction website

built by Cincinnati-based Electronic Art

CINCINNATI—Internet development firm Electronic Art (www.electronicart.com) designed and developed the auction website (http://wd.electronicart.com/) currently promoting two pieces of art celebrating the life of female and African-American pilot Bessie Coleman.  One of the two artworks was inspired by Oprah Winfrey and poet Dr. Maya Angelou, both of whom attended a special Read & Rise educational charity event at Wright-Dunbar Business Village in Dayton, Ohio on Monday.

Tim Burke, partner with Electronic Art, said his firm was eager to donate its services to build the site because of the message behind both the art and the auction. “We were asked to create the auction site for their charity event in two days time, and were able to deliver a fully functional site they can also reuse for future events,” Burke said. “As a company and community partner, it’s our mission to support causes and events that tie technology, innovation and education to cultural understanding and acceptance.”

“Sky as Metaphor: An Ode to Bessie Coleman,” created by Willis “Bing” Davis, celebrates the life and achievements of the aviation heroine and the monumental spirit of two keepers of the culture, Dr. Maya Angelou and Ms. Oprah Winfrey.  In this original, signed work of art, Dr. Angelou and Ms. Winfrey are symbolically woven into the African-inspired fabric that encircle and frame Bessie’s beloved sky.  Two traditional Adinkra symbols for “Sankofa,” which means “go and retrieve your past,” are used to represent Dr. Angelou and Ms. Winfrey.  The bidding for this original artwork began at $750.00.  The piece is valued at $1,200.00.

The second piece is the “Jenny” airplane pendant/brooch created specifically for the Read & Rise event by the Elizebeth Diamond Company.  A unique combination of diamonds is used in this pendant/brooch.  One-carat total weight of yellow diamonds stud the top wing of the plane. 

Known as “natural, fancy yellow diamonds,” these stones have rich color and are extremely rare and valuable.  Larger, Russian-cut diamonds appear on the wheels and propeller centers.  Weighing .25 total carats, the body of Bessie’s beloved “Jenny” plane is crafted of 18-carat gold.  The piece includes a 16-inch, 18-carat gold chain. Bidding for this unique piece began at $1,400.00.  The “Jenny” is valued at $3,800.00.

Bidding began 10 pm last Monday and ends at Midnight Friday, September 23.  Proceeds benefit the Wright-Dunbar Business Village.  Interested bidders should visit www.Wright-Dunbar.org, or for more information, contact Wright Dunbar, Inc. at (937) 443-0249.

For more information about Electronic Art LLC, contact Tim Burke at (513) 321-3117 or tim@electronicart.com, or visit www.electronicart.com.

About Electronic Art

Electronic Art LLC (www.electronicart.com) is a Cincinnati-based Internet development firm specializing in custom Web programming, such as e-commerce and database integrations. Electronic Art also creates e-mail newsletters, intranets, shopping carts, and administrative controls that allow office personnel to update their website content without knowledge of HTML or other Web programming languages. Electronic Art also provides hosting of websites, databases, and e-mail platforms, including spam and virus filtering, and develops Internet access kiosks and self-service kiosks.