The story I'm going to tell today is about Milton Sontheimer.  He was a baker in the City of Erie who died in 2014.  He must have been a very good baker.  He did it for over a half century.  But, being a baker was not the only thing he did well.  Sontheimer.  You won't find a more famous last name in Erie when it comes to baking.  Just ask Mark Tanenbaum, of PACA, who loves Erie history.

"The Sontheimers are famous for five generations in Erie, Pennsylvania making delicious, fabulous baked goods. And he was a member of that family,” says Mark. 

Members of Sontheimer family operated three well-known bakeries in Erie, and the tradition continues to this day with a bakery in Millcreek.  Milton co-owned Mary-Ella Pastries on French Street for 52 years. While Milton was well-known for his baked goods, people probably did not now he was a talented artist. His work is now on display at PACA on State Street. The paintings are beautiful.  It's amazing.  Even his obituary never mentioned that he loved to paint.

"A very famous name in Erie.  Sontheimer.  But he's not famous for being a painter.  He's famous for being a baker,” says Mark.   

Milton painted 150 works of art. They were never displayed in public despite their beauty. The paintings were donated to his church after Milton's death. The church has now decided to sell the paintings and has commissioned Mark Tanenbaum's organization, PACA, the Performing Artists Collective Alliance, to showcase them and auction them to the public. Milton Sontheimer will now be known not only as an Erie baker, but also an Erie artist.

"They want it out into the public,” says Mark.  “They want Erie collectors to have an Erie artist that nobody in their Erie art collection has.  A Milton Sontheimer."  

Sontheimer traveled the world to paint the beautiful scenery.  France, Germany, Israel, The Netherlands.  He signed each piece and noted on the back where he traveled to do the work.

"This guy went to where Van Gogh painted his paintings,” declares Mark.  

Some of the Sontheimer collection was sold on the spot at a reception held this week. Most of it will be sold by silent auction that will run through September. People can bid on the art by attending a performance at PACA or by just stopping in to look.

The bidding starts at $50 for some paintings.  $150 and $250 for others. The proceeds from the auction will be divided among Abiding Hope Lutheran Church, The Inner City Neighborhood Art House, The Bethesda Lutheran Services Arts Program, and PACA.