For the third year in a row, nationally renowned artist Ron Yrabedra has supported the March of Dimes by donating an original piece of artwork to use for the event logo. The original oil painting used in this year's logo will be available for purchase during the live auction which will take place at the wine dinner on Thursday, November 2nd.

Guests can purchase a commemorative event poster, which includes the artwork, for only $30. Posters may be purchased at the Festival Shoppe.

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Ron Yrabedra says that as a young boy he used to draw on the walls of his home. Instead of punishing him, his mother set chairs along the wall for visitors to sit and view his artwork. This encouraged him to become a producing artist; he holds a bachelor of fine arts and a master's degree in painting and ceramics from the University of Alabama and a Ph.D. in art education from FSU. His work is now collected around the country and is featured in collections of major corporations and firms, including AT&T, North Carolina National Bank, Barnett Bank and Tallahassee City Hall.

Yrabedra has been principal faculty member for professional development workshops for the Florida Institute for Art Education, one of six national institutes sponsored by the Getty Education Institute for the Arts. Yrabedra has developed a unique approach to presenting works of art and music to create "aesthetic moments" that demonstrate the expressive qualities of the arts as well as modes of learning. In addition to his 28 years at FAMU, he has been director of Lemoyne Art foundation and a founding member of the Mary Brogan Museum of Arts and Sciences. Recently, he led the education team for the Florida Governor's e-Mansion, an online learning resource center.