Art Collector Gives 100 Paintings to Charity

A Delaware art collector is donating more than 100 original artworks to Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County to be auctioned off this week to benefit the charity.

The News Journal reports collector Dick Poole and his wife, Elisa, will have their works auctioned off Friday at the University of Delaware's Wilmington campus.

The sale comes after Poole was diagnosed with advanced intestinal cancer. He says his art collection from travels in Europe, South America and Asia has been a consolation for him.

Many of the works were previously on display at the couple's AerieArt Gallery in Rehoboth Beach until it closed un 2012. The collection includes many works by Delaware artists including Jack Lewis, Ralph Scharff, Carol Balick and Jeanette Slocomb Edwards.