DALLAS, Texas – March 31, 2021– To commemorate 50 years of remarkable achievements, the Montessori Children’s House and School (MCHS) will host a free online Art Auction from April 9-17, 2021, with proceeds benefiting The Next50 Fund, the school’s sustainability fund. The week-long auction features internationally and regionally renowned artists Pamela Nelson, Nishiki Sugawara and Ann S. Adams. Additional artwork has also been donated from other regional and local artists, including many of whom are alum MCHS parents and students.
The finale of the Art Auction is the 50th Anniversary Virtual Gala on Saturday, April 17, from 8:30-9:30 p.m., which includes a live auction. The event is free to attend. The live auction features students’ classroom masterpieces, which involve unique Montessori experiences with their guides. Registration for the Auction and Gala are free: www.mchsdallas.org.
The online auction honors the founders of Montessori Children’s House and School, the Schwalm family. Desiring a unique learning experience for children that focused on individualized exploration and discovery, Carl and Mary Schwalm established what has become an exceptional Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) accredited school.
According to Christa Montague, MCHS head of school and alum parent, “In the Montessori setting, art is inherent and occurs organically in the Montessori environment. Art has a larger purpose in that it is part of the fundamental way in which a young child is allowed to construct themselves. In honor of the Montessori method, it made sense for us to have an art auction. We invite the community to join us in honoring the Schwalms and raising funds for our next 50 years.”
The MCHS alum community is also encouraged to reconnect by participating in a special Reunion Hour on the day of the Gala, Saturday April 17, 2021. This event is free to attend as well. Attendees may register at www.mchsdallas.org. For more information about The Next50 Fund, the sustainability fund formally established by the MCHS Board of Directors housed with the Communities Foundation of Texas, please email Next50@mchsdallas.org.
About Montessori Children’s House and School:
Founded in 1970, Montessori Children’s House and School is dedicated to providing a quality and AMI (Association Montessori International) Montessori education to children ages 3 to 6 years of age. The mission of MCHS is to help each child reach his or her full potential in all areas of development. This goal is accomplished by creating a prepared environment that helps foster each child’s self-reliance and confidence. For more information about MCHS, please visit www.mchsdallas.org, email info@mchsdallas.org or call 214.348.6276.
# # #
Meet the Artists:
Pamela Nelson
www.pamelahnelson.com
Based in Dallas, Pamela Nelson is an artist working in painting, mixed media and public art installations. She has exhibited in more than 100 national venues including the Dallas Museum of Art, Austin Museum of Art, Arkansas Art Center in Little Rock, Beaumont Museum of Art, Texas, National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C., and the National Arts Club in New York City. She was honored with the Legend Award in 2000 by the Dallas Contemporary. Her work is included in U.S. Embassies in the Ivory Coast and Tajikistan, El Paso Museum of Art, corporate collections at MTV and U.S. Trust in New York, and the A.H. Belo collection in Dallas. She received her B.F.A. from Southern Methodist University.
Nishiki Sugawara-Beda
www.nishikibeda.com
Born and raised in Japan, Nishiki Sugawara-Beda primarily works on 2D surface while continuing her experimentations with other visual languages, such as 3D expression and video. With her multicultural background and her experience in immigration, she continues to seek the connections among cultures both from the past and present, and she focuses on tracing traditional Japanese activities back to their origins through her research. She exhibits nationally and internationally, and gives an artist talks. She graduated from Portland State University with B.A. in fine art and earned her MFA from Indiana University in painting. Currently, she is an assistant professor of art at Southern Methodist University.
Ann S. Adams
https://www.annsadams.com/
A grandparent of MCHS current and alum students, Ann Skrobarczyk Adams moved to Dallas in 1997. An award-winning artist, she has exhibited in local and national shows. Her work can be found in private and corporate collections, as well as The Art Museum of South Texas permanent collection. She holds a B.A. in art and is a signature member of the Pastel Society of the Southwest, president in 2006, signature member of Texas Visual Arts Association, and The McKinney Avenue Contemporary.