Artist’s sales to benefit Cardiac Kids

ART FOR A CAUSE—Artist Perry Castellano and his daughter, Mia Francesca, stand next to one of Castellano’s metal sculptures in his Agoura Hills backyard. A percentage of Castellano’s art sales this weekend will benefit the Cardiac Kids have HEART Foundation of Thousand Oaks. Art, science and philanthropy will meet on Sun., Oct. 16 when Agoura Hills resident and artist Perry Castellano opens his benefit exhibit of water sculpture, mobile art and abstract representations of nature at the Hidden Chateau and Gardens at 23130 Sherman Way in West Hills. The reception will be from noon to 5 p.m.

Castellano will donate 15 percent of the proceeds to the Cardiac Kids Have HEART (Helping Educate, Assist, Research and Treat) Foundation which benefits children with congenital heart disease. The Thousand Oaks-based foundation is also supported by Jill Martin, owner of the Hidden Chateau and Gardens.

“It’s a great foundation,” said Castellano.

Castellano said that his interest in the foundation was sparked when his daughter, Mia Francesca, made a new friend, Delany Small, at a nearby park. As the children played, Delany’s mother, Brenda, told Castellano that her daughter had been born with congenital heart disease. Delany had open heart surgery when she was just two weeks old.

Small’s experience in dealing with her daughter’s condition prompted her to open the foundation in November 2004, at first as a center for parents to meet other parents with children with congenital heart disease.

“It’s nice to talk to someone who’s been there before,” said Small.

The foundation quickly grew to include counseling services for families and now serves as a bridge for helping families throughout the world locate host homes while their child undergoes surgery and recovery in American hospitals. The foundation also helps families who otherwise couldn’t afford lifesaving cardiac surgeries for children.

The foundation hosts two major fundraisers per year, and uses some of the funds for local purposes. Most recently, the foundation purchased defibrillators for Westlake High School and Acacia Elementary School in Thousand Oaks.

After hearing about Small’s experience, Castellano and his wife, Mary, decided to get involved with the foundation through his art. He has donated original metal sculptures to silent auctions and other fundraisers for the foundation. The exhibit at the Hidden Chateau will be the first time Castellano will contribute money from his sculpture sales.

“(Perry’s) been very generous,” said Small.

Castellano’s work is created from sheet metal, including copper, mild steel, stainless steel and silicon bronze. He said that he uses organic forms and shapes, and his pieces have an “earthy quality along with a fluidity that is found in natural phenomena.”

He added that his sculptures integrate nature, and some offer movement from the wind, while his water sculptures “flow tranquilly.”

In addition to selling original fine art metal sculptures, Castellano welcomes private and commercial commissions. He said while his fine art is “purely visual,” his commercial pieces are “functional metal” and include architectural design projects such as railings, trellises, fixtures and furniture.

Castellano began as a chef in Italy. He said after being surrounded by the art of Italy, he took a break from restaurants and attended the Silvermine Art School and Guild in New Canaan, Conn. to study sculpture.

“Working as a chef in Italy I experienced so much art, it was a natural progression,” Castellano said of his career shift to art.

Italian art may have inspired Castellano, but his quick sales success allowed him to work as an artist full-time. As a student, he strategically placed his sculptures around the campus and, to his surprise, they sold rapidly.

“Beginner’s luck got me hooked,” he said.

Today, Castellano works double time running a successful catering business and creating and selling his artwork—both visual fine art and practical, livable art

For more information, call Castellano at (818) 889-5673 or visit www.perrycastellano.com.

For information on Cardiac Kids Have HEART Foundation, visit www.ckhh.org.