New York Daily News –
Celebs’ art is in right place
By ADAM NICHOLS
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, October 26th, 2005
A soup kitchen is drawing on A-list artwork to feed New York’s hungry.
Celebrities have donated their doodles to raise cash for the midtown-based Capuchin Food Pantries, an organization that provides a million meals a year to needy New Yorkers.
The works include crayon drawings by Bette Midler, Yoko Ono, Woody Allen, Billy Joel, Robin Williams – and famed Daily News cartoonist Bill Gallo.
They will be sold at auction at Tavern on the Green in Central Park at 6 p.m. tomorrow.
“People should be very excited with the doodles we have to auction,” said the Rev. Francis Gasparik, executive director of the pantries. “This is a chance to own real, original celebrity art, signed and authenticated.”
Gasparik sent crayons, drawing paper and self-addressed envelopes to the who’s who of the glitterati at the start of the year, and asked them to send back their doodles.
“The response has been fantastic,” he said. “Some people have spent a couple of minutes on their drawings, but others have put in a lot of effort.”
Among the works are a New York skyline from Donald Trump, a self-portrait of Billy Joel and a Hawaiian beach scene from Bette Midler.
“We have contributions from some great names, and they have come from all over the world,” Gasparik said.
Tomorrow’s event will also honor Gallo for his support of the Capuchin Food Pantries.
Last year’s Doodle for Hunger raised $250,000, Gasparik said.
