Artsolutely Fabulous is back – and with it a tremendous chance for canny local art collectors to take home a superior work at a fraction of its usual price.
That’s because with just 35 tickets to be sold (at $475) and only 35 works on display, every ticket holder to the Semiahmoo Arts fundraiser (6.30 p.m., June 17, Blue Frog Studios, 1328 Johnston Rd.) is sure of claiming a work valued higher than the ticket price.
“We established a minimum price limit of $600 – and with a lot of the works framing is $200 on top of that,” said Semiahmoo Arts executive director Patrick Reynolds.
“That means they’re getting a work worth at least $800 – and some a lot more than that,” he added, noting that one piece, a bronze by sculptor John Butt, is valued at $4,000.
“It’s a pretty good deal – it’s awesome,” Reynolds, who has also contributed one of his own pieces to the show, said. “I don’t know where else you can get a return like that.”
Ticket buyers can also rest assured there is also an altruistic purpose to their purchase.
Proceeds go towards an estimated $47,000 shortfall in Semiahmoo Arts funding for this year.
The concept of Artsolutely Fabulous is simple – a cocktail party with ticket holders and artists in attendance, music (this year artist Bruce Dolsen will also be playing piano) and the much anticipated draw of tickets supervised by MC Gordon Hogg, with the first drawn having first choice of the works on display.
Other artists with works in the draw are Wesley Anderson, Jim Adams, Joan Miriam Adams, Alicia Ballard, Nicoletta Baumeister, Irma Bijdemast, Nicole Carrie, Katherine Diewart, Penina Benjamini, Debra Gow, Elizabeth Hollick, Kathy Johnston, Sam Lam, Bortolo Marola, Bob McMurray, Adrianne Moore, Ken Nash, Linda Pearce, Genevieve Pfeiffer, Kim Pollard, Catherine Robertson, Patte Rust, Lois Stewart, Sheila Symington, Richard Tetrault, Larry Tillyer, Leonard Wells and Irena Shklover.
The event is returning after being on hiatus for two years, Reynolds said.
“We wanted to get back to the basics of it – before it was growing out of control, and then it became difficult to do because of the recession. We know the recession is still a factor, but we thought the value is there for the art work.”
For tickets and information, call 604-536-8333 or visit www.semiahmooarts.com