Art Show Raises $6000 for OPS
Over eighty people braved the bitter, cold wind to attend the 3rd Annual "Ocracoke Through Your Eyes" Art Show fundraiser at the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum.
"I was impressed with the dedication of our on-island participants who risked getting blown away to come out to our event," said OPS Administrator Amy Howard.
"Despite the cold weather, hardy Ocracokers came out in droves for the good food, fellowship, and of course, the art," said OPS volunteer Leslie Monticone, who was working the cash register and credit card machine at check-out.
Those hardy folk were justly rewarded for venturing out into the winter night – the wine was flowing, the hors d'oeuvres were plentiful and delicious, and the art was amazing.
The show featured 92 small works, the majority of them on 6x8 canvasses that OPS distributed last fall. Professional and amateur artists of all ages donated their time and effort to the cause. The "Ocracoke Through Your Eyes" theme is open to interpretation, and artists can use any materials they choose. The most interesting part of the show is seeing how each different artist's creativity was manifested.
Karen Rhodes entered six pieces in the show – two painted canvasses, a seaglass necklace mounted on a canvas, two large matted photos of Ocracoke, and the matted and framed pencil sketch of the 1950's era Community Store, which brought in $330. Karen has been working at the Museum since last June, and is the one you can thank for the great Facebook posts of old photos and historic information on the OPS page. She plans to make prints of the Community Store drawing that will be available in the museum's gift shop. She also recently designed a new logo for the organization.
Karen and Amy posted photos of the art pieces (well, the 81 of them that made the deadline) on the OPS Facebook page, giving off-island OPS supporters a chance to bid. Online bidding closed at noon on Saturday and at that time, the show already had over $3000 in bids! There was nowhere to go but up!
"I'm thrilled that so many off islanders could participate via our online bidding," said Amy. "Sixteen of the canvasses will be sent out to their online winners."
Winning in person can be even more fun. We know of one 9 year-old who hovered near her favorite piece all night, so she could pounce as soon as she got outbid. She won, of course!
Finley Austin was happy to take home Arleen Burley's painting.
"Last June, I saw a seahorse out at Springer's. This looks just like it," she said. It will go in her newly-remodeled house, where she now resides full time.
Paula Schramel hates having her picture taken, but she agreed to my request because she loves her piece so much. She was the high bidder on Beverly Meeker's donation to the show, which was a little memorial to her late husband, Leonard Meeker.
"Beverly says it's the sand, the wind, and the sky," Paula explained. "And it's made from Leonard's well-worn shirt. It's so beautiful and so lovingly done."
Scott and Carrie Lipps from Cincinnati, Ohio were also happy with their wins. They own a house on Ocracoke, and try to get here as much as they can, even planning their winter trip around the art show. (In 2014, they took home the coveted painting of the Mailboat Aleta.)
"It's a nice event," Scott said. "I just love to be in this space. It's so much fun to be able to hang out here for a few hours."
He also added that they love January. (Me: "Winter is our best kept secret!")
"We went to the beach twice today, at low tide and high tide," Carrie said. (Yes, it was freezing, but "worth it.") "We thought we'd find shells..."
"We got our treasure here instead," Scott said.
As the auction winners went home with their treasures, Amy and Karen toted up the evenings bid. Even after expenses (wine, food, canvasses, etc.), Amy says they will have netted over $6000. All that, and it was a good time, too!
"It's fun to see the incredible creativity come to light in all the canvases," Amy said. "We are so very thankful to everyone who contributed a piece of art and a piece of themselves to this event!"
