Sunday, June 28, 2009

Gettysburg Show

...make your reservations as soon as possible...don't wait!


Monday, May 18, 2009

APG "Bucks"

Most of us are familiar with Wendy's Bucks, Hardees Bucks and the like, especially if you've ever been involved with some type of fundraising effort. The APG is announcing the latest in it's fundraising efforts by making available "APG Bucks". The APG Bucks will work like this.

APG Bucks will be sold in increments of $5. For every $50 woth of bucks sold you will receive $5 worth buck bucks free. That's an additional 10% tp spend at the following.

The APG Store.
Raffle tickets.
BBQ and drink tickets at the show.
Admission and registration at the Show.
Membership and renewal fees.
APG Auction
Any service or product provided by the APG.

This is a great offer just in time for a Fathers Day gift. Why not use them for a birthday and other special occasion gifts and help support the APG.

For more info or to purchase APG Bucks contact Mike Stelzel at infomikeapg@aol.com

Friday, May 15, 2009

Unique Donation

The APG has announced that they have recieved a piece of the original Gettysburg Cyclorama for auction at the 2009 Gettysburg Miniature Show.

The 5 1/4 by 8 1/2 piece of the painting was donated to the APG by Ms. Susan Boardman, Leadership Program Coordinator for the Gettyburg Foundation after a chance meeting with Historical Artist and Contributor Keith Rocco and APG President Mike Stelzel in Gettysburg on 9 May. Ms. Boardman is also a co author of the book The Battle of Gettysburg Cyclorama. A History and Guide.

The portion of the painting donated is actually from the sky area of the painting and was removed by conservators in 2006. " Part of the conservation plan included restoring the sky that was lost, removing the bottom added-on portion and over paint, and restoring the diaorama. Some smaller sections of added-on canvas (which was the originally the sky area in the 1880s-90s) were removed and used for patch material. This is piece of it, removed by the conservators during the summer of 2006."

This unique collectors item will be offered for sale during the Gettysburg Show as part of the miniature/art auction on Aug 8 at 2pm. Ms. Boardman also contributed an autographed copy of her book which will be included in the auction with the portion of the painting. Ms. Boardman will also be speaking on the painting during Keith Roccos seminar on Aug 8.

For more information on the artifact or the APG Show contact Mike Stelzel at infomikeapg@aol.com or visit the APG website at artistpresetrvationgroup.com

Saturday, April 11, 2009

APG Show Award Announced


The Artist Preservation Group is unveiling their awards for the 2009 show. I'm making this announcement because the awards for the show will be a bit unique. Taking a lead from the Long Island guys with their awards package of a drawing by Greg DiFranco we've copied that idea but with just a little different twist. Renowened historical artist Keith Rocco has very generously offered one of his images to be used as an award. The image, Confederate Color Bearer, falls in line with the 2009 Alabama Flag Project. Although not specifically an Alabama Color Bearer, Keith's painting is an excellent representation of what any Color Bearer may have looked like. The image has been printed in an 8X10 format, all prints will be signed by Keith, and awarded with a card denoting Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Certificate levels. The prints are suitable for framing and will be a collectors item for the winner. This print will only be available through the APG as an award.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Pickett at Gettysburg


A friend of mine recently turned me on to this little gem on George Pickett at Gettyburg. He found it on the Horse Soldiers website. Nice image of Pickett drawn on the spot at the battle in a slouch hat! Not the way we are used to seeing Pickett. I'm attaching the text from the site. You can own the original for only $50,000. I'm told he also did one of Jackson in 1862 wearing a slouch hat. I'm trying to find that one.
Enjoy!


MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE E. PICKETT "AWAITING THE SIGNAL":BATTLEFIELD PORTRAIT BY COLONEL A. R. BOTELER
Without question one of the most important pieces of eyewitness battlefield art to emerge from the American Civil War. Major General George E. Pickett, "Awaiting the Signal," signed and dated at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863 by Col. A. R. Boteler, executed within hours, or moments, of Pickett issuing the fateful order, "Up men and to your posts! Don't forget that you are from old Virginia!", that would result in one of the greatest and most tragic clashes in American military history, forever to be known as "Pickett's Charge."
Alexander Robinson Boteler was elected to the First Confederate Congress, but alternated his legislative work with military service. A descendant of Charles Wilson Peale, Boteler was, among other things, an accomplished artist. He was instrumental in the design of the Great Seal of the Confederacy and illustrated several books before and after the war. A large collection of his Civil War portrait work was purchased by the Military Historical Society of Boston in 1887. Boteler's Confederate military career began with his appointment, with the rank of Colonel, to the staff of Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, who was a personal friend. Subsequent to Jackson's death at Chancellorsville he was, for an interim period, including at Gettysburg, on Lee's staff, and served through 1864 on the staff of JEB Stuart. From November 1864 to the end of the war he was a member of the Military Court Department and was with Lee's army at Appomattox.
His penchant for sketching battlefield scenes is well documented and there is a well known incident of Jackson querying Boteler about the subjects of his work. Pickett is depicted in this 5.75" x 8.75" gouache leaning against a tree with his arms folded in front, in the midst of a grove of trees. A number of dismounted officers in various uniforms are visible in the background with their horses. Pickett wears a double breasted frock coat with general's insignia clearly visible on the collar. His sword is suspended from a belt with an unidentified rectangular buckle, and his boots, with spurs, extend well above his knees. The characteristic curls of his hair roll down to the collar of his coat. Most significantly he wears a wide brim slouch hat with a small unidentified insignia on the front, whereas tradition has previously held that he was wearing a general grade officer's kepi at Gettysburg. Additionally, unlike the traditional description of Pickett being "filled with excitement" at the prospect of beginning the assault, his demeanor is clearly that of a man steeped in thought, doubtless contemplating the importance of the drama that is about to unfold. "Awaiting the Signal Gettysburg July 3, 1863" in ink script at the bottom. Boteler's signature with A. R. inside the two loops of the letter B is at the lower right. Doubtless executed in the field by Boteler as a pencil sketch and subsequently finished by him as a gouache. The image is on an old archival mount with a further pencil script ID at the bottom of the mount, "No. 21 Gen. Pickett, by Col. A. R. Boteler, of Gen. Lee's staff."
An incredible piece of Civil War battlefield art.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Keith Rocco Sketch


Wanted to pass this along from our friend Keith Rocco.


He's donated this pencil sketch for our auction at this summers show. The drawing can also be seen in his latest book on page 234. He's been gracious enough to donate the original for the auction.



Enjoy!

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Since my last posting 2 things have come in regard to the APG show.

First the awards time has changed. The awards ceremony was originally planned for Sat night immediately after the BBQ. We've now moved to 1pm on Sunday afternoon. Hope that doesn't affect any ones flights.

Second. John Jefferies has notified me that the vendors tables are going fast. To keep anyone from being disappointed or left out, I strongly encourage anyone planning to come to the show as a vendor to contact John and book your table(s) ASAP. You can reach him at birchtreejohn@aol.com or call him at 516-379-4464.

We will also be posting more info on the competetion ie catagories, judgng times etc, very soon.

Stay tuned.

Thanks,

Mike