NEW YORK.- Seven emerging artists recently took honors in a multinational art auction called “Art On The Block,” according to nAscent Art New York, an upstart Manhattan art company. The auction benefited Action Against Hunger, a global charity, and featured 120 works by 30 artists from the U.S. and 11 countries. The jury consisted of New York interior designer Clifford Henderson III, prominent art registrar Rachel May, and Carolyn Morris, registrar for renown Pop artist Robert Indiana.

Yuko Ueda, an artist from Japan, won the Jury Grand Prize, with five pieces from her “Waters of March” series, small, but powerful works of acrylic and other media on canvas with rich textures and strong, basic colors in an abstract style.

“It’s an honor to know people like my work,” said Ueda.

Ueda took inspiration from famed bossa nova artist, the late Antonio “Tom” Jobim. “Waters of March is one of my favorite songs, and the lyrics from the song, ‘The riverbank talks of the waters of March, It's the end of all strain, It's the joy in your heart’, they really inspire me.”

Ueda, 30, came to New York from Tokyo, and now lives and works in NYC.

Paul Seftel and Jordan Eagles won Special Recognition from the jury for their collections. Eagles, 29, uses blood in his stark works on UV-coated resin to capture the visual power of blood as a life force. Seftel, a 33-year-old artist who recently arrived from the U.K., uses media resembling oxidizing metal and a process that he keeps intensely secret to create subtle rust-colored and patina tones on board.

The jury also awarded prizes for individual works to Jack Laroux for “Water Bonsai,” a prismatic depiction of a nude refracted, done with acrylic and spray paint on canvas. Doug Groupp, 36, also won for his work entitled “Totem Umbrella,” an acrylic silkscreen on canvas he describes as “playful,” but also “hieroglyphic.”

The attendees voted the Audience Award to Seftel and Lahary Pittman, a New York photographer whose abstract images on display captured the bold blues of the sky and strong reds of everyday building stucco. nAscent CEO and Director of Art Jennifer Baron and nAscent President James Wallace selected painter David Welker, photographer Fred Scott, and sculptor TJ Volonis for Curator’s Awards. Welker has painted for over 20 years, and his work includes the cover for the Phish’s “Rift” album. Scott, who had never before sold work at auction, sold four pieces at the event. Volonis’ has had no formal training, but has been active in the art community by helping organize GLAAD’s annual art event. His chair and table made of welded copper tubing blur the distinction between design and sculpture.

nAscent committed 25% of its art sales profits from the event to Action Against Hunger. Recognized worldwide as a leader in the fight against hunger, Action Against Hunger delivers programs in more than 40 countries, specializing in emergency situations of war, conflict, and natural disasters and longer-term assistance to people in distress. They save 4 million lives a year, helping vulnerable populations regain their self-sufficiency for long-term sustainability.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Action Against Hunger,” said Baron. “They’re a global organization recognized for fighting hunger and malnutrition. Besides having immense talent, the emerging artists who participated hope that sales of their work can help people truly in need.”

While many of the artists had exhibited their work before, for some “Art On The Block” was their first. The auction featured the work of 30 artists and over 120 pieces, including paintings, sculpture, mixed media, and photography.

nAscent, led by 22-year-old Baron, reviewed over 2000 pieces of art from over 400 artists before settling on the artists participating in the auction. Their next event is Thursday, July 12, 2007. Ticket information can be found at www.nascentartny.com.

Jury Awards:
Best Collection: Grand Prize--Yuko Ueda. Special Recognition--Jordan Eagles, Paul Seftel. Best Individual Work: Doug Groupp, Totem Umbrella; Jack Laroux, Water Bonsai. Audience Award: Paul Seftel. Curator’s Awards: Fred Scott, TJ Volonis, and David Welker.