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Printer-Friendly ModeSilent auction raises funds for Museum
October 17, 2005 —
To celebrate the opening of the display "Nature Transformed: Wood Art from the Bohlen Collection" and to observe Hispanic Heritage Month, the Marshall M. Fredericks Museum at SVSU hosted the first annual "Saints, Sinners and Salsa" celebration Friday in the Arbury Fine Arts Center.
The highlight of the event was a silent auction that included work from 49 Michigan artists who donated their artwork to be auctioned off. Proceeds went to support the mission of the Sculpture Museum.
Guests of the evening were given the opportunity to make bids on any of the pieces that they liked. At 9 p.m., the winning bidder of each piece was announced.
All of the artists who were a part of the event had to create a piece that followed under the theme "Saints, Sinners and Salsa." Works for this theme had to be in one of the four forms: arched, house, peaked or stepped. The specific form for the artists' work was given to them and they were told to create a piece under that form and the theme of the night.
"Doing a piece for this silent auction was a fun challenge, because I have never worked under a theme like this," said Betty Lou Foltz, who was one of the 49 featured artists.
The name of her particular piece was "Saints, Sinners and Salsa," named after the theme of the celebration. It was an acrylic painting of a dancing man with birds, which was estimated to be about $300.
"It represented dancing through life with good and bad and a little spice," she explained.
The evening also included entertainment from a live Mariachi band, a Salsa DJ and a Latin dance instructor. Special guest chefs also prepared Mexican Epicurean Specialties along with butler style appetizers, assorted desserts, and complimentary drinks.
Another highlight was the display of "Nature Transformed," a collection of fine wood art given to the University of Michigan's Museum by Robert and Lillian Bohlen of Michigan. The collection featured work of about 80 artists.
Sculpture Museum officials said the fund-raiser is set to continue next year with a different theme for the event. For more information on "Saints, Sinners and Salsa" or other upcoming events, contact the Museum at (989) 964-7125 or visit www.svsu.edu/mfsm.