Major Celebrity Artwork Benefits Thomas G. Carpenter Library

Joanna Norris, Assistant Director

Department of Media Relations and Events

(904) 620-2102

Celebrity and humanitarian artists Michael Goddard, known as the rock star of the art world, and Charles Fazzino, the 10-time official artist of the Super Bowl, Olympics and NASCAR, are coming to Jacksonville and unveiling artwork created specifically about and for Jacksonville art collectors.

A large percentage of proceeds from the sale of their work during this exciting event will benefit the Art in the Library project at the University of North Florida’s Thomas G. Carpenter Library. This project is a collaboration between significant North Florida artists, UNF’s Visual Arts Department and the Thomas G. Carpenter Library Dean’s Leadership Council, facilitated by 2009 UNF Outstanding Alumni Award winner Jennifer Jones, president of R. Roberts Gallery.

For the education of UNF students and the public at large, the Art in the Library project seeks to create a permanent art collection of groundbreaking, culture-changing artists indigenous to North Florida that will be showcased on the walls of the Thomas G. Carpenter Library as their lasting legacy.

“It’s been an incredible honor to bring celebrity artists from all over the globe to Jacksonville, especially important American artists such as the legendary Charles Fazzino and Michael Godard,” said Jones, who graduated in 1999 from UNF with a bachelor’s degree in Art History. “Getting these two in one room is a huge coup and it works so well because they both create work for the everyman—no matter whether you’re aware of your art taste, what your profession may be or your heritage—there is something for every single person in the gallery right now.”

Because these artists’ pieces are only at the R. Roberts Gallery, located at 3606 Saint Johns Avenue in Avondale, for one week, the gallery is hosting a special night for fans of UNF this Thursday, March 18, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Thomas G. Carpenter Library’s Art in the Library project.

Additionally, there are two Meet the Artists receptions from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 20, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 21. There is also a special children’s event at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 20, at the R. Roberts Gallery, where Fazzino and 40 Jacksonville school-aged children will create an original, 3-D collage relevant to Jacksonville. This piece will be framed and presented to the Thomas G. Carpenter Library for its permanent collection.

Fazzino is the most popular 3-D artist in the world today. With hundreds of galleries exhibiting his pieces worldwide, he has gathered a loyal following throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. His artwork can be found in the private collections of Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, Rosie O’Donnell, Morgan Freeman, Paul McCartney, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Michael Jordan, Roger Clemens, Julia Roberts, Katie Couric, and many other internationally renowned figures and corporations.

He is best known for his obsession with bright colors and wonderful detail, the frenetic energy that infuses his work and a unique hand assembled 3-D layering technique that brings his images to life. Most famous for his 3-D renderings of New York and countless other cities, Fazzino has also created masterfully vibrant and detailed tributes to such popular icons as The New York Yankees, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Alfred Hitchcock, The Characters of Walt Disney and James Dean. He has painted 10 Super Bowls for the National Football League, five All-Star Games for Major League Baseball, three Daytime Emmy Award Ceremonies, two Soccer World Cup Tournaments, and the GRAMMY AWARDS and is the official artist for the 2009 and 2010 President’s Council on Physical Fitness and The President’s Challenge.

Godard is often referred to as the “Rock star off the Art World” and for very good reason. His work is highly collected by young and old from all walks of life, including movie stars, rock stars and private collectors. Collectors of his artwork range from the venerable collection of the Pentagon in D.C., Jay Leno, Pink, Danny Devito, Ringo Starr, CREED, bad-boy Kanye West and the moneyman Ben Stein.

He has developed an illusion that is currently featured in Cirque Du Soleil’s “Believe” and he has been commissioned to design the 2010 release of the “Godard Ovator” guitar. This is the focus of Ovation Guitar’s new 2010 print campaign. Godard’s newest work appears in ABC’s “Extreme Home Makeover”. Recently, he appeared on “American Casino,” A&E’s “Inked” and Chris Angel’s, “Mind Freak.”

The R. Roberts Gallery in Avondale is Florida’s most prominent purveyors of fine art and has been at the forefront for more than 20 years. The New York Times had this to say, “Although a neighborhood gallery, clients come from all over the country and all over the world due to the gallery’s reputation for excellence.” For more information about the gallery, go to www.rrobertsgallery.com.

The Thomas G. Carpenter Library, named for the founding president of UNF, serves the library needs of UNF students and faculty and also serves as a community resource. An expansion and renovation of the 1980 facility resulted in a 199,000 square foot building that opened in 2006. The building has a seating capacity of 2,000; over 300 computers for public use plus wireless capability for laptops. The library houses over 800,000 volumes and provides access to a wide variety of electronic databases, journals, and other resources. The Special Collections and Archives house manuscript collections and other material on local history. Exhibit cases showcase the library’s holdings and offer a venue for displays by other campus organizations.

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