NEW YORK, April 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In support of the third annual Christie's Green Auction: Bid to Save the Earth, Master Photographer Peter Lik donated his iconic image, "Beyond Paradise." The work was on display at Christie's live auction on April 11 to a crowd of over 800 and was sold for a record $80,000 through Charitybuzz's parallel online bidding - Lik's "Beyond Paradise" was the top selling item.

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"I have a special place in my heart for Mother Nature, especially her life-giving resource - water. Supporting Oceana and Bid to Save the Earth allows our organization to give back to sustain this beautiful world I delight in capturing through my lens," said famed landscape photographer Lik. "Oceana's work to preserve the Earth's waters is a cause which I am honored to fund with my work."

Acclaimed conservationist Susan Rockefeller was equally honored to accept the donation for a cause she has championed throughout her lifetime. "Peter's work touches many facets of the beauty of the planet we live on. Through his generous gift, the Bid to Save the Earth partner organizations will be able to continue their work to preserve that beauty and purity," she said. Susan and her husband David Rockefeller have co-chaired Christie's Green Auction since its inception.

Lik, considered the world's most awarded and collected landscape photographer, also donated his newest masterwork, "The Sentinel," to the Green Auction for its debut. Both works were displayed at Christie's in Rockefeller Center during the Green Auction live event on April 11. "The Sentinel" is an iconic photograph of the Manhattan Bridge from below and was viewed for the first time by hundreds of New York's most inspired philanthropists, collectors, environmentalists and influencers.

The live auction at Christie's raised nearly $600,000, supported by an additional $635,000 through parallel online bids at Charitybuzz.com from March 28 through April 19, in which Lik's "Beyond Paradise" was the top selling item. Both "Beyond Paradise" and "The Sentinel" remain on display at Christie's in New York City through April. Beneficiaries included Oceana, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Central Park Conservancy and Conservation International.

"Charitybuzz is proud to count Peter Lik among its most generous donors. His commitment to philanthropy is as clear as his talent, with his immense, gorgeous works hitting the auction block for important causes throughout the year," said Coppy Holzman, Founder and CEO of Charitybuzz. "Our bidders were thrilled to be able to support the Green Auction by bidding on Lik's work, and we look forward to offering them additional opportunities in the months to come."

Christie's Green Auction: Bid to Save the Earth is a borderless collaboration of individuals, organizations, and businesses who are engaged, in spirit and action, in the protection and conservation of the environment. The initiative was made possible through the joint efforts of the four beneficiary organizations together with Charitybuzz and Christie's.

To view Peter Lik's artwork please visit lik.com. For additional information please email soho@peterlik.com.

Mike Hill
Executive Vice President
LIK USA™
702-307-6393
mike.hill@peterlik.com

SOURCE LIK USA