The Friends of the Arts’ Postcard Art PLUS: Creating Inside the Box raised $9,000 for scholarships and grants for College of Fine Arts students. The seventh annual art auction and exhibit, which was held April 26 in University Galleries, attracted 90 attendees and featured 197 artworks created by 113 artists.
Many of the artists had Illinois State connections, including School of Art Professor Emeritus James Butler, whose landscape painting Cutback recorded the high bid of $800. The postcard-size works included paintings, drawings, and, for the first time, 3-D works including ceramic pieces and sculptures.
Attendees were able to peruse the galleries before the auction while enjoying music provided by Friends of the Arts grant recipients the Clef Hangers and others.
Money raised at the event helps fund Friends of the Arts grant and scholarship programs, which awarded $18,104 to student projects and $23,743 for scholarships last year.
“This was the last time we could host a fundraiser in the University Galleries since it will be moving to the Uptown Normal Transportation Hub next year,” Friends of the Arts Board Chair Bobbi Hynes said. “It was a wonderful ‘curtain call’ for us, and we are so grateful for all the support we have received for this event over the past seven years.”
Sponsors of the event included McDonald’s; Little Jewels Learning Center; Moe’s Southwest Grill, which donated the wine; and John and Melinda Walker, who sponsored the program printing. The table centerpieces were donated by Mary Lou Gold; they were hand-blown glass vases made by students that contained floral arrangements and were prized commodities for the attendees who purchased them.
