YoungArts gets a boost from Sotheby's auction

An auction at New York's Sotheby's is giving nearly $40 million to YoungArts, a program of Miami's National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

The two paintings auctioned off were a water lilly painting from 1917-1919 by Claude Monet and
Jeanne Hebuterne Wearing a Hat, a 1917 portrait by Amedeo Modigliani.

Claude Monet, Water lillies, 1917-1919

The donor of the paintings is Lin Arison, widow of Carnival Cruise Lines founder, Ted Arison.

YoungArts president, Christina DePaul told the Miami Herald her feelings on the donation.

"We are overwhelmed by the gift. This will allow us to do everything we wanted to do a lot faster.''

DePaul said the donation will be used toward study guides produced by famous artists and to help further develop art programs.

Each year YoungArts brings about 150 17 to 18-year-old students from all over the country to Miami for a one week program including classes, performances, and competitions.  Mentors are often famous and well known artists.