GREENSBORO, NC.- On April 10th 2010 Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art will launch an online auction to include ten pieces of Richard Ritter’s glass sculpture featured in the retrospective exhibition, Richard Ritter: 40 Years of Glass. This auction offers an exclusive opportunity to purchase these pieces, some of which have not been offered for sale to the public prior to this exhibition.

The exhibition Richard Ritter: 40 Years of Glass exhibition was co-organized by the Toe River Arts Council and the Fine Art Museum, Western Carolina University in collaboration with Richard and Jan Ritter. The exhibition catalog was produced by the Fine Art Museum, Western Carolina University. The exhibition opens at Green Hill Center on Friday, April 9 with a reception from 5:30-7:30pm. The eleven works for sale will be available for purchase by opening reception attendees this evening only. After the opening reception, all unsold items will be available only through the online auction which opens the following morning, April 10, at 9 a.m. and closes on Friday, May 14 at 4p.m.

Richard Ritter has been an active participant in the Studio Art Glass Movement for over 40 years and a vital part of the North Carolina art scene for the past three decades. While Ritter’s work is rooted in North Carolina, his collectors span the region, country and globe, and his art is in dozens of museum and private collections around the world. The online auction, in conjunction with 40 Years of Glass provides exposure and access to his work for the widest possible audience.

For 35 years Green Hill Center for NC Art has been dedicated to the promotion of North Carolina art and artists. Through solo and group exhibitions, artist talks, curator tours and educational programs Green Hill Center has become a well-established resource for artists, art educators and art enthusiasts. The addition of the online auction extends the reach of the exhibition beyond the boundaries of Green Hill Center’s Gallery, and creates valuable opportunities for both the artist and the public.