Some 370 artists and arts patrons filled the newly remodeled Arts Center of the Ozarks Nov. 8 for the 10th annual 5x5 Art Auction and JazzSoiree.
Artists used 5-inch by 5-inch canvases to create works of art to be sold by silent auction at the fundraiser, which raised almost $12,000 for the nonprofit organization.
The nearly 250 contributingartists for the small works auction included Zeek Taylor, Napoleon Dezaldivar, Louise and Robert Meringer, Laurie Marshall, Linda Mayo, Nodie Williams, Debra Martens and Vickie Hilliard.
The arts center will host Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 1 and “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” will run Dec. 7-9.
Among those perusing petite paintings, pastels and other works of art were Tareneh Manning, Debby Weiser, Bill Rogers, Judy Hammond, Susan Cunningham, Lisa and Jim Blount, Jeannie Burks and Margaret Johnson.
Youth Bridge hosted its sixth annual It’s a Wonderful Life roast and gala Nov. 9 at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers. The subject of the roast, which was attended by some 350 guests, was Shawn Baldwin, a Sam’s Club senior vice president. Roasters were Dennis Horn, Kevin James and Tony Engle.
Wes Morris, the benefit’s chairman and Tyson Foods group vice president for consumer products, announced that evening a Tyson Foods donation of $150,000 to Youth Bridge toward its capital campaign to build a residential and clinical complex off Don Tyson Parkway in Springdale.
Those boosting Youth Bridge included Ann and Bill Justiss, Karolyn and Don Farrell, West Doss, Leslie and Scott Rouse, Emilie and Darwin Gore and Kelly and Steve Zega.
As part of Walton Arts Center’s continuing celebration of its 20th year, the center hosted the Cheers to 20 Years! reception early Tuesday evening. The event was held in recognition of the center’s dedicated donors and volunteers who have supported the organization from its earliest days.
Peter Lane, center president and chief executive, told those gathered that the Walton Arts Center “was the dream of a few people who said, ‘Let’s start an arts center’ and is now a national treasure ... This is about you, your commitment and your ability to support it and be a part of a unique institution.”
Walton Arts Center pioneering patrons gathered included Nancy and Jim Blair, Ed Bradberry, Wanda Belzung, Sara and Frank Sharp, Judy and Donald Wearing, Janet Hendren, Nancy McVey, Andy Gibbs, Mary Ann and Reed Greenwood, Becky McCoy, Dick Trammel, Susan and Orville Hall, David Gay and John King.
I wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving!
Columnist Carin Schoppmeyer can be reached by email at [email protected]
Northwest Profile, Pages 41 on 11/18/2012