Auction of Betty White portrait to benefit guide dogs charity
Kayla Carlile portrait of Betty White which is being auctioned on EBay for Charity, with all proceeds benefiting Guide Dogs for the Blind. Image courtesy of Kayla Carlile
EUGENE, Ore. – Two days after the December 31 passing of beloved TV star Betty White at age 99, artist Kayla Carlile posted a time-lapse video to TikTok and YouTube of herself painting a portrait of the actress. It attracted millions of views – a testament to White’s universal appeal.
Carlile decided to honor White by placing the portrait in an EBay for Charity auction, with all proceeds benefiting the nonprofit Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB). With campuses in California and Oregon, GDB trains dogs to assist those who are blind or visually impaired and is supported entirely by private donations. It was one of Betty White’s favorite charities.
In a Facebook posting from approximately four years ago, Betty White is shown with Pontiac, a dog she received from Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB). Image obtained from Facebook, courtesy of GDB
Carlile, who is 24, told Fox Business reporter Nicole Pelletiere, “I was a fan of Betty’s. I most remember seeing her in the movie, ‘The Proposal’ with Ryan Reynolds, but my favorite thing about her, she was so well-loved across generations [by] my grandparents, my parents, my friends … everyone always had something nice to say about her and I think it’s very rare that someone has that broad of an impact on the whole world.”
The 30- by 40-inch painting on canvas depicts White with twinkling eyes and her trademark sunny smile. It is one of a kind and artist-signed.
As of publication time, there were 63 bids on the Betty White painting, with the high bid standing at $50,100. The auction will close on Sunday, January 9 at 5:07 p.m., Pacific Time / 8:07 p.m. Eastern time. Click to view the auction listing.
Click to visit Kayla Carlile Art online.
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