'Mystery' event to be held Friday
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on February 3, 2016 1:46 PM
There's a mystery afoot in downtown Goldsboro.
Hundreds of works of art have popped up in the Arts Council of Wayne County and for now, nobody knows who made them.
But that will all change Friday night.
Roughly 150 local artists have submitted their creative expressions on 6-inch-by-6-inch canvases to the Arts Council of Wayne County for the fourth annual Mystery Masterpieces event.
The identities of the artists are being kept a secret for now, but they will be revealed at Friday night's event.
Anybody wanting to take home a piece of local artistry has two options: Buy one ticket for $30 that will entitle them to one work of art, or buy two tickets for $50, which will entitle them to two pieces of art.
It does not cost anything if you wish to simply attend the event and not purchase a work of art.
All proceeds from the event will go toward funding programs hosted by the Arts Council, since events they put on each year are free to the public.
"We put out a call to artists and ask them to share their talents with us for this event," said Arts Council director Sarah Merritt. "The artists get up to four canvases and do anything they want with them, from painting to mixed media and from clay to embroidery -- what they produce aren't just paintings."
The art each year never fails to please the Arts Council, either.
"I'm always surprised and happy when we get them back because they're such great quality, and it's obvious the artists put all their talents to work in creating these things," Mrs. Merritt said.
After the artists drop off their creations the week before the event, the Arts Council randomly assigns numbers to the paintings for the drawing that happens the night of the event.
If you've purchased a ticket, you will receive a number -- or two -- when you walk in the door. The number will correspond to one of the canvases, and that becomes the ticket holder's work of art to keep as a souvenir from the event.
"You don't have to be present to receive the canvas if you buy a ticket, but a lot of people always come to the event because it's something people love to be a part of," Mrs. Merritt said.
Arts council staff members will draw numbers for people that purchased tickets and do not come to the event, and will call the ticket holder to pick up the item or deliver it to their location.
Any canvases left over from the event at the end of the night will be sold for $25.
Once the ticket holder receives their painting, the artist who created the piece is revealed at 6:30 p.m. the night of the event and the buyer will be able to meet and talk with the artist.
Last time the event was hosted, tickets were nearly sold out prior to the event -- so if you want one, it's best to secure one earlier rather than later.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the arts council at 919-736-3300 or stopping by the arts council location at 102 N. John St.
After tickets are purchased, they can be picked up at the door the night of the event, which runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Feb. 5.
Alongside the main attraction of the night, there will be drinks, live music and hors d'oeuvres.