Please help the Oasis Shrine Children’s Hospital with your tax deductible contribution and receive a ticket for a drawing for the above 20" x 40" oil painting which will be given away on November 3, 2007. Tickets are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00. The picture can be viewed at Alfred & Charlie’s Restaurant on New Hope Road or at Behind the Arts Studio/Gallery which is located at 170 W. Franklin Blvd.

An eighty-four year old artist, Mr. Ivan Horvat who was an emigrant from Yugoslavia, has graciously donated a painting of the "Canadian Mountains" to the Gaston County Shrine Club Noble-etts. The Noble-etts will be selling raffle tickets on the painting with all the proceeds going to the Shriners Children Hospitals.

While Mr. Horvat's heart was for the arts, he followed his parents’ wishes and pursued a degree in engineering from the University of Zagreb. He immediately began a career in designing filtering systems. At the age of 43, while working for a German company, he learned of an opportunity to work for Jenkins Metal Corporation of Gastonia a company beginning to produce machines to clean the air in textile mills. After a year in America, he returned to Yugoslavia and began a two and a half years ordeal of trying to get his family to America. On December 15, 1966, Mr. Horvat and his wife Olga arrived with their two children. They had only fifty dollars in their pocket. From that day forward, the Horvat’s have become a very vital part of Gastonia. They have been members of St. Michaels Catholic Church for over 36 years and now have American Citizenship.

After forming his own business in 1976, Mr. Horvat has been very prosperous and now wants to give back to others. He wants his faith to shine through his art which consist of several giant paintings of the Last Supper. He also works in stained glass windows, and wood inlays. His work is displayed in a Presbyterian Church in Lincolnton, the Gaston County Main Library, Belmont Abbey and many other locations including Guatemala.

 

 

 

 

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