Caption:  Online auction of one-of-a-kind buoy art created by 50 artists with ties to Maine.

ROCKLAND –- To celebrate Trekkers historic milestone of 20 years of Building Up Our Youth through outdoor-based mentoring programs, 50 artists with ties to Maine have created lobster buoy art for Trekkers’ first ever B.U.O.Y. Auction. Online bidding of 40 of these one-of-a-kind buoys already started on July 1 and will continue through July 21 at 11 p.m. at www.biddingforgood.com/trekkers.

In addition to being the perfect memento of a summer in Maine, these collectible buoys make wonderful gifts for family members and friends, including birthday presents, special occasion and Christmas gifts. Each buoy is a unique representation of the artist’s individual styles. With buoys comprised of collage, fabric, paint, ink, metal, wood, rope and other media, there is something for everyone. The buoys can be viewed online at www.biddingforgood.com/trekkers or in person at the Maine Lighthouse Museum on 1 Park Drive in Rockland.

The artists include Kate Braestrup, a community minister, law enforcement chaplain and author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, Here If You Need Me; American artist Greg Mort, who is widely recognized as a leading influence in contemporary art with a fascination with space and the universe weaving itself through his paintings; and Millennium artist Jon Mort, a recent graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design who is known for his startlingly realistic graphite images and is a highly sought after portrait artist.

Buoys have also been created by Björn Runquist, a painter who was featured in Maine Home & Design in April 2010 as one of Maine’s 60 artists “to collect now, while you can”;  and Simon van der Ven, an artist and educator who is married to Kate Braestrup and whose son, Peter, was part of the Trekkers program.

Also participating in the project are two Trekkers students and one of the organization’s founders, Peter Jenks. Jenks was one the adults on the first Trekkers trip in 1994. He has been holding the Trekkers in prayer ever since, as the priest at the Episcopal Church of St. John Baptist in Thomaston. He is also the father of several Trekkers. The list of project participants also includes two of Trekkers’ own students, Jennifer Carter, whose buoy “June” reflects her love of color and the new life that spring brings; and Trekkers’ Student Board Member, Reagan Goulet, whose buoy "Iridescence" was inspired by her painting and drawings of jellyfish since her 10th grade Trekkers trip.

The B.U.O.Y. project, which began last January, was inspired and coordinated by local artists Otty Merrill and Jenifer Mumford, both of whom have buoys up for bid! Industries Manager Ken Lindsey at the Maine State Prison Showroom produced the wooden buoys for this project.

Trekkers is an outdoor-based youth mentoring program that works with students grades seven through 12. The six-year program builds mentoring relationships between local youth and caring adults through expeditionary learning, community service and adventure-based education. Since 1994, Trekkers has worked with over 600 students, providing unique long-term mentoring services, educational programs and academic support. 

For more information about Trekkers or the B.U.O.Y. Auction, call 207-594-5095 or go to www.trekkers.org or www.biddingforgood.com/trekkers.