The 'fun' in fundraising for the arts is in the creativity
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on January 11, 2017 10:03 AM
A Mystery Masterpieces fundraiser will give people the chance to help the Arts Council of Wayne County and also take home a work of art.
"Mystery Masterpieces is an awesome opportunity for people in town to get involved in the arts," said director Wendy Snow Walker.
"We hand out 6-by-6-inch canvases free to anyone who wants to create a piece of art. You can create anything on it, using watercolors, acrylics, fiber arts, three-dimensional mixed media, whatever strikes your fancy that you want to create on your canvas. You do not put your name on it. But you do bring it back to us."
All of the miniature masterpieces will be displayed Friday, Feb. 3 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Arts Council.
Ms. Walker said people can buy a ticket for $30 for a mystery masterpiece.
The night of the event, those who purchased a ticket or tickets go to the Arts Council to draw a number from a jar, which corresponds with one the mystery masterpieces.
"But because the masterpieces are display on the boards in random order, you have no idea which one you will get," Ms. Walker said. "That builds the suspense of the evening."
She said the first fun thing of the evening is finding out which masterpiece you have drawn.
"The second fun layer of the evening is that you get to exchange your masterpiece with other people, which is awesome. I think that's a great piece of the puzzle."
Ms. Walker said any of the masterpieces that are leftover after ticketholders have drawn a number will be available for purchase.
"It's a really great event and one of our more successful events that's very well attended," Ms. Walker said. "It's also a good way to connect different groups of people throughout the event."
"And it's a fun way to get kids involved in art. Maybe have a child and a grandparent complete a piece of art together and come to the event together and see all the different kinds of art."
Ms. Walker said those who do a miniature masterpiece do not have to be a professional artist.
"In fact, we encourage everybody to participate," she said. "We do have a number of professionals who are participating. So you may pay that $30 tickets and get yourself a really fancy masterpiece. But it's also fun to get one of the silly pieces.
"You've got a professional artist and they have their work hanging right up against maybe a budding middle school artist. I think that's really great to have that synergy between up-and-coming artists and people who've chosen this as their profession."
Once you've received your masterpiece the night of the event, you can have the artist sign it, Ms. Walker said.
Tickets are available at the Arts Council up until the night of the event.
Anyone wanting to do a mystery masterpiece may pick up a canvas at the Arts Council. They are due back by Jan. 27.
"All of the funds from this event go to our general operating fund to support all of the other free programming that we do all year," Ms. Walker said. "That includes First Fridays, art walks, open mic night, jazz showcase and all the other free events we have going on all year long."