Gallery opening to benefit land trust farm challenge

The Conanicut Island Land Trust and the Randall Art Gallery in Jamestown will be co-hosting an evening gallery opening on Friday, Sept. 7, to benefit the "Save the Farms Challenge."

Artist David Schock, who paints the pastoral island landscapes, said he contacted the land trust to set up the event because the match seemed natural since they were trying to protect the same scenes he was painting.

"I moved to Jamestown because it's a beautiful place to paint, Schock said. He added that he frequently sees beauty being destroyed and "people don't understand what they are giving up," by not preserving landscapes for the future.

The gallery opening will feature Schock's work, one piece that was specifically painted for the event, as well as many other familiar scenes.

Quentin Anthony, president of the land trust, will attend and inform guests about the Save the Farms Challenge, which has the current goal of saving three unprotected farms in the center of Jamestown island. Schock will donate 25 percent of all proceeds from the sale of his work during the evening to Save the Farms. A limited-edition, fine art giclee print, made from the artist's original "Jamestown Farm Scene," was created for the opening, and will be available for sale at $195, of which, $100 will be donated to Save the Farms.