Harry Potter Event: Platform 9 3/4 July 15, 2005

From 7-10 p.m., ArtOrg (200 Division Street South) will become ?Platform 9 3/4.? ArtOrg will feature a repeat of an exhibition titled ?Mary GrandPré: An Artistic Spell,? with more than 50 pieces of art by the famed illustrator of the U.S. editions of J. K. Rowlings? Harry Potter books. The exhibition will include sketches from the Harry Potter series as well as from the popular films ?Antz? and ?Ice Age.? Almost every piece in the exhibition will be for sale to the public.

This repeat exhibition ? and the sale of the exhibition pieces at this time - is due to GrandPré?s close relationship to the Northfield community. GrandPré and local artist Kari Alberg have been friends since the early 1990s B.H.P. (?Before Harry Potter?). ArtOrg Executive Director Dave Machacek was the inspiration for GrandPré?s illustrations of Viktor Krum in ?Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.? Machacek?s likeness is on the cover of the book?s U.S. edition and his dog, Oso, was the inspiration for the bear face also seen on the cover.

Machacek will be on hand at ArtOrg on the evening of July 15 as ?Viktor Krum.? The exhibition runs for two weeks from July 15-31. Because of the ArtOrg Summer Art Project (ASAP), the exhibition hours are Thursday-Sunday, from 1 to 6 p.m. Proceeds from the sale of GrandPré?s art will benefit ArtOrg programs.