The UA Museum of Art hosted its third “Fresh Paint” fundraising event on Saturday.
The fundraiser, which is held every two years, auctions off local artists’ work, with all proceeds going to the museum. This year’s event had many different types of art, from photography to oil paintings.
“It is a celebration of artists in the community,” said Kathryn Torrington, chair of Partners of the UA Museum of Art. “We have 170 artists, some well-known, some not so well-known, to come in and donate and give their art to us.”
The art was auctioned off Saturday evening at a silent auction. The minimum bid was $40 with increases in increments of $10. The six pieces with the highest bids then went to a live auction at the event, where they earned a total of $4,025. “Full Moon at ‘A” Mountain” by Barbara Gurwitz went for the highest amount at $1,250.
The event also featured award-winning UA alumnus and musician Gabriel Ayala.
“As an artist I am really flattered, as an alumni I am very flattered to come back to U of A,” Ayala said. “I graduated in 1997 with my Master’s here and have only played here once since then. And both times — now this is the second time — are both through the museum so I am really grateful that they have had me back twice. I am really grateful to be here, it looks like a great event and it is great to showcase my music here in Tucson.”
The money raised helps support the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs, according to Carol Petrozzello, marketing specialist for the museum.
Several other UA alumni also had art featured in the auction.
“Having my art displayed … in the University Museum of Art is a privilege to me and it is something that I feel honored in doing,” said Amal Alfatesh, a studio art major who graduated from the UA this past December, “because it is a good way of getting my work out there to the public and also exposing myself to the art world.”
The museum will know how much money it has raised for the museum sometime early this coming week, Petrozzello said.
“Tonight’s fundraiser is a coming together of artists in the community who are donating their artwork for the museum’s benefit,” Petrozzello said, “and patrons of the museum and guests from the public that come to the museum to bid on the artwork. And they get an opportunity to meet the artists and take home a wonderful fresh new original artwork.”
