This story originally appeared in the Asbury Park Press on Dec 18, 2001.
“Glory Days” — a large acrylic painting depicting Asbury Park’s old Palace Amusements carousel — will be auctioned off beginning today to raise money for local victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
About 500 Bruce Springsteen fans and various musicians participated in creating the painting under the supervision of local artist Kelly Sullivan. The painting was a work in progress at the legendary Stone Pony during several Springsteen concerts held in Convention Hall earlier this month.
“I am very happy with the way the painting came out, and it’s one of my favorites. It’s very lively and a great group of people painted it,” Sullivan said yesterday.
Called a “Fingersmears” painting, individuals used their fingers to smear paint on the 64-inch-by-74-inch canvas and then signed their name on the border. Sullivan, 37, came up with the concept several years ago during an art festival for children in San Francisco. She now lives in Ocean Township.
“I think this is also an important piece, and it was done for all the right reasons. The people working on it felt good about the project and were happy to participate. They should all be proud,” Sullivan said.
In addition to the hundreds of Springsteen fans, musicians Nils Lofgren, Bobby Bandiera, David Bryan, Steve Forbert, Tommy LaBella and Levon Helm also helped paint and signed the canvas. Southside Johnny painted the canvas but did not sign it.
Money raised from the auction will go to the Alliance for Neighbors of Monmouth County, a volunteer group created to help local victims and their families affected by the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Bidding on the painting, at auctions.Yahoo.com, will begin today and continue through Dec. 27. The opening bid on the painting is expected to be $2,500. It will be on display at the Stone Pony, Second and Ocean avenues, until the auction ends.
A special limited edition of 1,500 colored prints of the painting, all signed by Sullivan, will also be sold at stoneponyonline.com, with some of the proceeds going to another charity to be announced.
“I wish there was a better way to get across the beauty and magnificence of the painting (than by just seeing it on the Web site),” said Julie Wassel, a volunteer with the Alliance of Neighbors of Monmouth County.
Wassel urges people to take a look at the painting at the Stone Pony or, at the very least, visit the Web site and put in a bid.
“The painting will undoubtedly become an important collectible, and we hope people continue to understand the importance of raising money for the victims,” she said.
Stone Pony owner Domenic Santana said he was amazed to see the painting come together so nicely.
“There were so many participants, and it’s pretty amazing that it turned out to be such a beautiful painting,” he said.
Santana said the auction is also timed right since the city’s waterfront is facing redevelopment.
“The painting is about the glory days of Asbury Park and the desire to see those days come back,” he said.
