Our family spends a good chunk of the year in Jackson Hole WY, which has a great Art Association in town. They offer classes for kids and adults in many different media, and they also host “Try-Night” single-session workshops in topics like jewelry making, ceramics glazing, plein air watercolor, and many more.
But my favorite Art Association event is their winter “Whodunnit?” fundraiser. Professional and amateur artists (really, anyone who wants to) can donate a small 6x6” canvas art piece that’s displayed in the gallery for one month leading up to a silent auction of the artwork. Art is hung anonymously for the auction, so buyers don’t know whether they’re purchasing from an established or emerging artist. They buy what they like, without undue influence of name branding.
Being on the amateur end of the artist spectrum, I enjoy getting a chance to display and sell my work, even if not for profit (proceeds go to the Art Association). The first year I participated, I painted an alpine landscape from the Sierra Nevadas which sold. The second year, I went out of my comfort zone to paint a whimsical scene of a black bear and teddy bear playing cards, which didn’t sell. Any unsold art is returned to the artist, so “Bears at play” is now hanging on our wall here at home.
My third year, I painted a picture titled “Wet Toes” of my kids wading in Leigh Lake on a backpacking trip. I did it quickly and wasn’t quite pleased with the result. However, it came from such a cherished memory that when it sold, I found myself feeling disappointed that I didn’t get to keep it. So I painted it again to keep, slightly larger, smoother, and with oils instead of acrylics this time.
Now that my daughter has become highly engaged in art, I’ve invited her to join me in creating pieces for this event. For her first year (4yrs old), my daughter painted a pink person in the sun, with googly eyes and a dinosaur collaged on; “Untitled”. For her second year (5yrs old), she painted a house in the snow, titled “The Snowy House.” She gets jazzed to display her art in a real gallery, and it’s a special evening when we all go to the opening artists’ reception together.
