If you've heard of the Anonymous Art Show, you might be eagerly looking forward to its next edition.
If you haven't: the show is Arts Whistler's flagship fundraiser that invites professional creators and newbies alike to submit work on eight-by-eight-inch canvases. The Maury Young Arts Centre's gallery can fit 355 pieces, and often it's filled to the brim by this particular undertaking.
A sneak peek and artist reception on March 21 enables folks to preview what's on tap and make a shortlist of what they might be interested in. Yet April 4 is where things ramp up at Buying Night: a colourful gala with live music, a pop-up bar, appetizers, and the fruits of everybody's labour up for grabs.
The event's website urges patrons to dress to express, whether that's "cowboy boots or cocktail attire," and promises a few "surprises" on the big evening.
Something for every taste
A guest who commits to buying at the highest price tier of $500 receives first dibs, followed by people at incrementally lower tiers down to $50. What results is a sense of urgency and sport to Buying Night, which Arts Whistler executive director Maureen Douglas didn't necessarily intend—but which locals are obviously on board with.
If you can't join in on April 4, don't worry: about half of the available fare tends to remain for viewing and purchase until show's end (which this year is April 26).
"So many people buy original, locally created art for 50 bucks and they get what they want—even if they're choosing near the tail end of the night—because there's so much on the walls, there's truly something for every taste," says Douglas.
Nobody gets to know who they bought from until the transaction is made. As each piece comes off the wall, it reveals a decal replicating the work and the artist's name. This approach levels the playing field for more nervous or less experienced content creators.
"It's incredibly freeing," Douglas remarks. "We have some pretty high-end, well-known, well-loved Whistler artists participating in the show like Angela Muellers, Doria Moodie and Dave Petko. Some of them will do something very different than what people think is their style … which is very fun.
"Or you might choose a piece off a wall, it could be beautiful and it's the first thing someone's ever done. I've seen artists get tears in their eyes because somebody has chosen to buy their piece … and it's the first thing they've ever done. Incredibly empowering for those people, right? This show has actually started a lot of folks in the community down the path of painting."
'It ticks a lot of boxes for us'
More than 200 individuals submitted 410 artworks for this year's show, with the reserves expected to make their way on display after others are sold. Each participating creator gets a one-year Arts Whistler membership and recognition at the March 21 sneak peek.
Douglas goes on to elaborate that Buying Night is usually one of Whistler's most energetic community gatherings. Many celebrate their purchases and show them off to staff members (or their own social media followers). The Maury Young theatre becomes a lounge and dance floor with DJs livening things up, while the gallery hosts group after group of excited buyers.
Some loyal patrons have collected 10 or 20 paintings from the Anonymous Art Show alone, and they're pleased with how the eight-by-eight canvases combine symmetrically on their walls. Others drop by for multiple days to grab additional work or simply to view what's still up there.
"It ticks a lot of boxes for us," says Douglas. "It helps us raise funds for our gallery programs and our community arts programs like Art on the Lake. It allows first-time artists to participate and not feel self-conscious about their work. It draws people together: we know lots of girlfriends who come together and do paint-and-sip nights on their own. [The Show] is a really neat adventure and creative challenge for [participants], but they're also directly contributing to the success of what we do, which bounces back to them again."
Keep an eye out for one berth into the $250 price tier that will be offered as a raffle prize (tickets costs $10) instead of sold traditionally. Meanwhile, Buying Night entrance tickets are going for $35 apiece.
Check out artswhistler.com/anonymous for tickets and more information.
