Save the date: 4th Annual Wet Paint Art Auction
What began three years ago as an innovative idea with only a few weeks to pull off has blossomed into midcoast Maine’s premier art auction and a sustainable annual fundraising event celebrating the beauty of the Weskeag and Georges River region through art. The Kelpie Gallery of South Thomaston will present the fourth annual Wet Paint on the ‘Weskeag! plein air art auction on Sunday, August 13. Proceeds from the sale of freshly painted art will benefit the artists and Georges River Land Trust’s conservation programs.
The Selection Committee for the Wet Paint on the Weskeag! event announces 35 artists have been selected to create works to appear in the wet paint auction. The artists will paint at various sites under conservation, for example along the Weskeag River estuary and marsh, on August 11 and 12. The works will be on display at The Kelpie Gallery in South Thomaston on August 13 and will be auctioned off that evening with the proceeds from the sales split between the artists and GRLT. Last year’s event grossed nearly $16,000.
This year’s chosen artists include: Tania Amazeen-Jones, Kristine Biegel, Ian Bruce, Ed Buonvecchio, Midge Coleman, Suzanne deLesseps, Carol Douglas, Sandra Leinonen Dunn, Rachel Eastman, Renee Emanuel, Pamela Fenwick, Ken Foster, Stephan Gianini, Lauren Gill, Eric Glass, Julie Haskell, Pamela Hetherly, Dana Jenkins, Lydia Kaeyer, Dick Kelly, Jean Kigel, Nancy Lee Lovley, Anna B. McCoy, Maude Robin McCoy, Scott Moore, John O’Shaughnessy, David Wells Roth, Doug Smith, Holly Smith, Kay Sullivan, Bill Teitsworth, Louise vanKeuran, Cali Veilleux, Michael Vermette, and Nora West. The artists will work en plein air in a variety of media, from pastels to watercolor to oils.
An auction preview and cocktail reception will begin at 4:00 p.m. Cellardoor Winery, Rock Harbor Brewery, and Green Bean Catering will be enjoyed to the musical entertainment of blue grass band Miners Creek. Meet the artists and get an up close view of their Wet Paint works. At 5:00 p.m. sharp the animated and entertaining live auction will begin with dueling auctioneers, Bruce Gamage and Kaja Veilleux! Wet Paint on the ‘Weskeag! promises to be a wonderful evening of art, food, and friends!
Lead sponsors for this event are Bangor Savings Bank, On the Water Real Estate, and John Morris Architects. Other exclusive business sponsorships are being accepted through July 15. For opportunities to support art and land conservation, please call the Land Trust at (207) 594-5166. Tickets will go on sale in July.