The "Art" of Giving

After mom and dad’s refrigerator gets old, most people stop making art for display. I did, anyway. But for other talented artists, they keep trying and they keeping producing quality work, like the one pictured to the left- an acrylic painting of Marilyn Monroe by local artist Josh Gallant. This Saturday, experienced and amateur artists will have the opportunity to showcase and sell their work, all for a good cause.

The "Art of Giving" art show and auction is planned Dec. 1 at the Findlay Inn and Conference Center. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the auction kicks off at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and include appetizers and admission to the event. A cash bar will also be available.

The Findlay Area Civitan will donate all proceeds from the event to Special Kids Therapy and the Findlay/Hancock County Public Library, but the profits aren’t the only reason for the show.

"We don’t have a goal for this. Whatever it brings in is just a bonus. What’s really exciting is giving artists their first sale," explained Elaine Bruggeman, one of the event’s coordinators. "Artists aren’t salesmen. They paint, they create, they don’t know how to market themselves. They’ve got so much talent and they never get a chance to showcase their efforts."

I agree with Elaine. I know at least a dozen artists who wow me on a regular basis. Just walk into Elaine's restaurant, the Main Street Deli, and see the works up for bid there. A bastion for the alternative art scene (both starving artists in need of a "real" job and place for those starving artists to peddle their wares), Elaine always has something new to see.

About 50 artists jumped at the chance to participate in the auction in the six weeks it took to plan the event and more are trickling in as they get closer and closer.

There will be all kinds of different media, including pottery, etching, watercolor, oils, photographs, glass, fabric art, mixed media and jewelry. I have my eye on Marilyn, as well as some glass beads that will probably go for more than I have. There are no minimum bid, so I may actually have a shot at taking something home with me.

The participating artists are a mixture of regulars on the Findlay art scene and newcomers taking part in their first show. There are experienced people like Phil Sugden, a former president of the Findlay Art League who studied under French painter Arnaud D’Hauterives in Paris (I don't know who that is, but he sounds very sophisticated and important). The painting at right, "Voyage," will be up for bid Saturday.

There will also be other Findlay art scene staples, like photographer and poet Mariana Hofer and watercolor painter and photographer Tamera Rooney, both members of the Jones Building Artists (side note: Anyone who gets a chance to visit the Jones Building, particularly during their open houses should jump at the chance. You'd have to go to a museum to see such amazing art work up close. Plus, the architecture is intricate and gorgeous. Oh, and it's haunted!)

  There are people who haven't made a living from their art yet, like Josh Gallant, Christine Galusky and Mandy Alphaus (pictured at left), all friends of Elaine and talented in their own right.

One of my favorite group of entries are from artists whose work gets seen by people on a daily basis, but not in quite the same  capacity: tattoo artists. At least two people, Jeremy Dysinger and Dave Kent, from Just 4 You Tattoo will offer their work for sale -- this time on a canvas.

Dave has three pieces, a photograph he took of a little cherub in a cemetery in Germany  last summer; a watercolor, ink and colored pencil work of a gondola going down a river and, last but not least, a painting he completed in art school, one of his onlny paintings that survived this year's flood. He lost a lot of his prints, some of his paintings, his canvas portfolio and an entire box of photo prints. It's bittersweet that Dave's giving him one of his few remaining paintings to help other flood victims.

Tickets are available at Main Street News, Main Street Deli or from any Civitan member and they'll be sold at the door.

See you there - and bring your wallet!

- Mariah