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2008 Circle of Art Entries

2007 Circle of Art Entries

2006 Circle of Art Entries

2007 Participating Artists

2006 Participating Artists

2005 Participating Artists

Photo from Circle of Art 2006

Cherries and Crystal
Watercolor by Adele M. Roy

The idea of the Circle of Art was hatched, as are so many of our big ideas, around the lunch table at Saline Picture Frame in the fall of 2004.  After years of giving little bits here and there to various charities, we decided that our efforts would be more effective if we chose one organization and concentrated on making a real difference.

Over the course of several wide ranging discussions with our staff and some artist friends we found ourselves focusing on the  role of our business as a member of a larger community. Small businesses like ours tend to be chronically cash strapped so it is often difficult to sit down and write a large check. Our discussion ranged to ways we could leverage our resources and perhaps make a more significant contribution back to our community. One common thread that emerged was our place within a circle of artists and art lovers - our clients, our community and our friends.

Our friend Val Mann had told us about a benefit she participated in for a New York artist studio.  They asked artists from around the country to send small pieces of art, which they hung off clothes lines and auctioned off to benefit the studio. We liked the idea a lot, but we thought we could do it one better. Instead of clothes lines, we could mat the entries and hang them throughout the shop. We thought we had a winner of an idea. After all, we had the resources to mat and display small pieces of art, we had a building, we knew a lot of great artists and we loved to throw a party!

We decided to partner with Food Gatherers for a couple of reasons;

• Food Gatherers is a local organization whose work we had long admired
• They are a very efficient, non-bureaucratic group started by private citizens who saw a problem and set out solve it. They are a crucial part of a circle of non-profit agencies, private businesses and other food banks working together to solve a pretty basic problem – getting food to hungry people in our community
• We all agreed on it (a rare occurrence in our lunch discussions)

Food Gatherers own mission statement sums it up:

And so the Circle of Art was created.We could act as hosts, organizers and coordinators to gather the small works of generous artists and thereby raise some money to help Food Gatherers –easy, right? Surprisingly, it was.We started talking to a core group of our artist friends and asked them to donate and to spread the word to artists they knew. The response was gratifying.  Soon entries were coming in from all over the country and with the help of lots of great people we figured out how to put on an auction and, somewhat to our amazement, raised just over $10,000 for Food Gatherers.

Since then The Circle of Art has truly became a community affair with the circle growing larger each year.  In the last two years generous artists, established and emerging, have donated over 700 small pieces of work. That has translated into over $25,000 for Food Gatherers.  In the greater scheme of need and generosity this is a modest amount but we find it impressive. This money is raised small picture by small picture – the generous gifts of creative work from the artists in our community. A 6x8 watercolor can be a wonderful thing in many ways with a worth hard to calculate. At The Circle of Art that small painting can be displayed, appreciated, find a loving home and – provide more than a month’s worth of nutritious meals for a hungry child.

What the future holds for The Circle of Art is yet to be seen.  Times are tough in Michigan. Organizations like Food Gatherers face the squeeze of shrinking donation sources in the face of rising need. One of the more generous artist contributors to The Circle of Art joked that the relying on artists to raise money was a flawed premise because so many of them struggle themselves. We continue to be amazed at the generosity of the participating artists who not only graciously donate art work but also are among the most spirited bidders on the work of their fellow artists.

We feel privileged to be part of circle that includes these artists, the hardworking folks at Food Gatherers, and the generous art lovers who purchase the art. With all your help the Circle of Art will continue to make a bit of difference in our community.

Mae
Oil by John Copley

Mill Pond Park
Pastel by Ava Gilzow

Curtis Mansion Treasure
Watercolor by Jill Stefani Wagner

Fruits Of My Labor
Pastel by Linda Klenczar

Penguitt
Mixed media by Missy Orge

Pink Geraniums
Giclee by Dianna Soisson

Single Fish
Lino Print and Batiked Fabric by Pat Clubine