Good things come in small packages. Aesop supposedly said it first. But if the ancient Greek storyteller were around today, he’d get no argument from the folks at Whitemarsh Art Center. The WAC staffers are currently asking area creatives to donate original work for their May 22 “BIG Tiny Art Show” fundraiser, and although donations can range from paintings to ceramics and “everything in between,” they can’t be any larger than 6 x 6 inches.
The – virtual – WAC benefit is free and open to the public. Artists interested in contributing should e-mail gallery@whitemarsharts.org and include a photo and description of the piece being donated. Drop-off dates at WAC headquarters in Cedar Grove Park are April 23 (noon to 5 p.m.) and May 1 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). At press time, some 50 originals had been submitted, but WAC Director Hadley Yates hopes to have “at least twice as many” on offer on May 22. Each will sell for $66, and all proceeds will go toward maintaining programs at the non-profit art center at 100 Cedar Grove Road.
“I’m impressed by the caliber of art,” Yates says. “Thus far, we have a range of detailed ceramics, abstract and impressionist paintings and more. (All of it) will be featured on a new gallery page of our website with links and information about each artist. We hope that this event draws attention to the talented regional artists and the quality programming at Whitemarsh Art Center. Further, the pandemic has hit arts organizations like our non-profit especially hard. This fundraiser seeks to offset some of that lost revenue.”
Yates admits coming up with a fundraiser that observes pandemic protocols was “challenging” and credits longtime WAC instructor Charlotte Lindley Martin for spearheading the BIG Tiny show.
“I noticed that many artists I follow on Instagram were having success with holding sales online,” says Martin, who teaches ceramic throwing and decoration. “It seemed a good time to hold an online art sale. We’ve received many generous donations…and if you’re like me, you can always find a spot to hang a small work of exceptional art.”
The event will also feature artist talks, and a pre-party.
“Harrison Soloff, one of our board members who has both an art history and bartending background, is going to walk Zoom guests through making art center-themed cocktails…for example, the ‘Charlotte Martini,'” Yates says.
Things will kick off at 6 p.m. and run until 8 p.m. To attend, register at Eventbrite via www.whitemarsharts.org by 5 p.m. on May 22 to receive the show’s Zoom link. Organizers encourage anyone “who’d like to have first dibs on selecting your piece of choice” to request a ticket to attend the event’s preview party, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
WAC held another 6 x 6 fundraiser in 2015, back when the word “pandemic” was an obscure term in history books, face masks were pretty much confined to medical settings, and attendees thought nothing of gathering in-person for an evening of music, drinks and party food. Artists from as far away as the West Coast contributed some 100 original pieces.
Creativity is at the heart of Americans for the Arts’ April 12-16 Arts Advocacy Week, and the Washington D.C.-based organization describes its mission as “(building) recognition and support for the extraordinary and dynamic value of the arts and to lead, serve and advance the diverse networks of organizations and individuals who cultivate the arts in America.”
WAC’s mission – to “(enrich) the community by fostering inspiration, appreciation and engagement in the arts for people of all ages and abilities” – reflects those goals, and the center’s plans to relocate to Whitemarsh’s historic Abolition Hall property speaks to its focus going forward. The Whitemarsh Board of Supervisors approved a joint agreement of sale with WAC for the site at Butler and Germantown pikes on April 8. According to the township, the $3.95 million purchase will be subsidized by funds from Whitemarsh’s Open Space Earned Income Tax and a private WAC donor, who wishes to remain anonymous.
“In times of stress and uncertainty, people turn to art,” Yates says. “Whitemarsh Art Center has offered quality in-person arts education since 1964. Despite our current limited resources, we’ve worked diligently to create an online arts education program that honors that 56-year legacy. It wasn’t a quick or easy transition to online learning. But each online classroom setting or online event like the Big Tiny Art Show offers a microcosm of community, creative release and stimulation.”
Additional information is available at www.whitemarsharts.org.
