With a short window to prepare as a new board, the Art Alliance of Idyllwild staged a successful public art celebration that combined two events that had previously been held separately — a plein air painting competition, with Idyllwild Arts Academy longtime visual arts faculty member David Reid-Marr as judge, and a gallery tour of nine participating galleries.
Held on a warm and sunny June 13 and 14, the event concluded at Wilder Cabins on Sunday with a complimentary buffet, music by Luca and Jac Jacaruso, an art show displaying the work of 31 participating artists, a total of 56 pieces hung in a walk-through gallery and an introduction by Reid-Marr of the 21 competing plein air pieces. Reid-Marr explained how he selected the winners. Reid-Marr judged the plein air pieces without knowing the identities or origins of the painters.
First-place winner was “Village Lane 1” by Fariad, a past plein air winner; second was “Lake Fulmor” by Russian native Kate Protasova, currently an IA visual arts major; and third place was “The Red Kettle” by Paul Strahm. Rachel Welch won the People’s Choice award for her piece, “Coffee at the Café.” There were two Honorary Mentions: “Lily Rock” by Michael Newberry and “Lily Rock” by Ginger Pena.
Photo by John Drake
The AAI board said financials for the weekend event will be presented at the next board meeting. Those details will include the rental receipts for the weekend for three of Pat Wilder Litfin’s cabins, funds AAI will match and dedicate to an art education scholarship. With regard to financials, both minutes and a treasurer’s report from the AAI June 3 board meeting are posted on the alliance website, www.artinidyllwild.org. Procedures for handling AAI funds also are outlined in the treasurer’s report posted online.
The AAI board estimated 125 people attended the Sunday ceremony and brunch at Wilder Cabins, with tastings from Ferro, Oma’s, The Town Baker and Higher Grounds. The buffet table featured flowers from Florist in the Forest. The board thanked business participants for their donations.
Photo by Marshall Smith
In keeping with the board’s pledge to honor best practices with regard to handling of nonprofit and artist member funds, two people were on hand recording Sunday sales of participating artists. Neither of those individuals were the treasurer, Del Marcussen. The board noted that sales were entered directly into an electronic spreadsheet, there was also a written tracking sheet for all sales with a beginning and ending petty cash amount, and that the report was signed off by both of the two registrants.
The board estimated the gallery tour increased traffic at participating galleries given that 140 maps were picked up on Saturday at the event booth next to the town monument.
