Sharon Kindred recipient of 2010 Fischl Vanguard Award

John McEnroe purchases Sharon Kindred sculpture

Kindred and Reitz named recipients of 2010 Fischl Vanguard Award
Phoenix College alumnus and world-renowned artist Eric Fischl returned to Phoenix College in April, along with tennis legend John McEnroe, to participate in For the Love of Art, a two-day fundraising event combining tennis and art. Presented by Lennar, the event drew record crowds - 900 people attended the Eric Fischl Lecture Series featuring John McEnroe!

For the Love of Art encompassed both the annual Eric Fischl Lecture Series, which was held on April 14th at Phoenix Art Museum in partnership with the Contemporary Forum, and a charity tennis event on April 15th that drew 500 people to the Camelback Village Racquet and Health Club to watch McEnroe play Andrei Pavel. Funds raised benefitted both the John and Patty McEnroe Foundation and the Phoenix College Eric Fischl Scholars Program, which recruits students to study fine art at Phoenix College and is the first program of its kind among community colleges.

In conjunction with the lecture, Eric Fischl presented the prestigious Vanguard Award to two Phoenix College students, Sharon Kindred and Anna Reitz, competing in the 2010 student art competition, which was exhibited in Phoenix Art Museum's Great Hall prior to the lecture. Kindred's (3-D) sculpture "Eye of Beauty" and Reitz' (2-D) drawing "Necktie" captivated and engaged Fischl and McEnroe, who juried the selections from among more than 250 entries. The Vanguard Award is considered best in show of the student art competition and is accompanied by a $2,500 cash prize from Fischl. The work of both Vanguard winners was purchased by John McEnroe, and Eric Fischl purchased two additional pieces for his personal collection.

"Eric Fischl's dedication to Phoenix College has resulted in tremendous opportunities for our students as well as the highly-anticipated annual lecture series, which grows in popularity each year" said Dr. Anna Solley, Phoenix College President. "We are grateful for his commitment to the college and his on-going support of our promising young art students. Eric's willingness to recruit colleagues and friends such as Ralph Gibson, David Salle, and John McEnroe to share their talents and expertise with our campus and surrounding communities is yet another expression of his generosity."