Cailining

By Bryan Collins
art@bryandrinkscoffee.com
Reposted from http://www.statesfillingplates.blogspot.com/

I know this is being started very late, but the idea just manifested. Early this morning, as I was still asleep, I had a dream (more like a vision) of a poster that read, “50 States Filling Plates”. It was hanging in front of a venue. I went inside and there were paintings, illustrations, and custom toys and sculptures from around the USA. Many artists were represented and many people were in attendance. There was live music and food as well.

As I woke I believe this was a calling to hold an art benefit to feed the hungry during the holiday season. We all know that most of us will not go hungry on Thanksgiving or during the cold winter months, and we feel bad for those who will, but usually our ‘thoughts and prayers’ are all that go out to them. Well, some of those thoughts and prayers are now being translated into this event!

I hope to have AT LEAST one artist from each state participate. I currently live just a matter of miles from where a tornado wiped out a town and the amount of support that came from around the USA was amazing. When disasters occur, Americans know how to put politics aside and all pitch in to help make things right. Hunger is a disaster. Hungry children who cannot work for food is a catastrophe. Unfortunately, since these types of calamities are usually silent, it takes some motivation to get people to help. This event hopes to motivate people to do what is right and help others.

ARTISTS
This benefit is curated by Bryan Collins. Receiving, transporting, hanging, selling, and return shipping of your work is the sole responsibility of Bryan Collins. Please read below, then email submissions for consideration to art@bryandrinkscoffee.com If you are accepted for the event, you will be emailed an agreement that you will print, fill out, and send with your work.

• You are invited to submit 1-5 pieces of work including paintings, illustrations, or 3D work including custom toys and sculptures.
• There is no theme but if you would like one I would suggest “Sharing” or “Helping”. Since this is so short notice, don’t let even a suggested theme scare you away. You are welcome to submit any work that you have on hand.
• You may donate your work for the benefit auction or offer it for sale at a set price. Donated work, once sold, will provide 100% to the benefit. If you price your work, you will receive 50% of the selling price with the remaining 50% going to the benefit. Artist who donate their work will be listed as Honorary Artists on this blog, on flyers, and on the benefit’s pamphlets and other advertisements.
• Donated work will remain with me until sold. Priced work that does not sell will be returned during the month of January 2010 if return postage is included with your work. Otherwise, if no return postage is included, the work will become ‘donated’ and will be auctioned for States Filling Plates 2010.
• A portion of all funds generated will go to Colorado shelters and charities that feed folks on Thanksgiving, and another portion will go to Toys For Tots (National Marine toy drive to give children gifts for Christmas) and other similar charities. Receipts for all donations will be publicly posted on this blog.
• Your work may be displayed multiple times in various locations between the day I receive it and New Year’s. Any funds generated after December 22nd will carry over to next year’s States Filling Plates Art Benefit, and a report of this will be publicly posted here on this blog.
• Locations are being secured now, and this blog will be updated when exact dates and places are finalized. I will personally exhibit some pieces at my studio in The Gallery Underground. We get hundreds of people each 1st Friday. Auctions will be held silently at exhibit locations. Some work may be auctioned on ebay to draw funds nationally. If you DO NOT want your work auctioned on ebay, you must let me know when you fill out your agreement form. Final selling prices of silently auctioned work WILL NOT be posted publicly.

I hope this event will grow larger each year in regards to artist participation and funds generated, but lets kick this off with a huge bang! Email your submissions to art@bryandrinkscoffee.com ASAP!

Here are a list of places and dates confirmed so far, including deadlines to have your work in. Please remember you need to email art@bryandrinkscoffee.com before sending work. This is a semi-curated event.

Oct 23rd – The Gallery Underground / deadline Oct 21st
~ The GU will be hosting an event for Fort Collins Articulate City. This will be the 1st official opening of silent auctions and hard-priced work.

Nov 6th – The Gallery Underground / deadline Nov 4th
~ First Friday opening. These events draw hundreds into the gallery. Silent auctions will continue this night and hard-priced work will be on display.

Nov 20th – The Gallery Underground / deadline Nov 18th
~ Third Friday open studio night. Smaller, intimate crowd. New silent auctions will open this night and hard-priced work will be on display.

Dec 4th – The Gallery Underground / deadline Dec 2nd
~ First Friday opening. These events draw hundreds into the gallery. Silent auctions will continue this night and hard-priced work will be on display.

Dec 18th – The Gallery Underground / deadline Dec 16th
~ Third Friday open studio night. Smaller, intimate crowd. Silent auctions will continue this night and hard-priced work will be on display.

Donations will be made throughout the event from Oct 16th through Dec 20th. All sales made after these dates will go into a fund for next year’s States Filling Plates. See the following posts for more info.

MORE DATES AND LOCATIONS TO FOLLOW

Bryan Collins, Curator/Organizer
States Filling Plates