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| 10/1/2009 | Art for the Sangres: Sales were down, but not the quality of art |
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The 13th Annual Art
for the Sangres was a flourish of art, artists and art patrons last Saturday
evening at The Pines amid crisp blue skies and golden aspens at the base of the
Sangres. The fundraising event for the San Isabel Land Protection Trust attracts
buyers and art lovers from across the country. This year, folks came from Estimated art sales totaled $90,000, down 26 percent
from last year. The 2008 sales totaled $121,505, and the 2007 sales topped out
at $160,000. The downturn in the economy is certainly one explanation, but a
number of regular buyers were simply not in town for the event, said co-chair
Peggy Kavookjian. Also, some artists prudently
offered smaller works. A few large art pieces did sell, but the majority of the
sales were moderately priced. Ticket sales numbered 142 which generated $7,100. The
number of tickets sold last year was 143. Money from sponsorships totaled
another $8,575. Even with the
downturn in sales, artists said they were quite pleased. A number of artists
and docents commented that the quality of the artwork got better every year.
Twenty-four out of 27 artists sold 94 pieces. The crowd was enthusiastic, and
the frenzy to put in bids before the final bell rang heightened as the evening
progressed. SILPT receives one
third of the money from art sales. That helps with operational costs and land
protection. Since 1995, the nonprofit organization has worked with private
landowners in preserving over 33,115 acres in conservation easements. The SILPT
service area encompasses 2 million acres including the – Jacque Keller |
