Longmont’s sizable art community is joining forces with Outreach United Resources Center to help the homeless people served by the center.
The project, called Art for OUR Center, will create works to be sold for the center’s benefit.
The project will have two phases.
In the first phase, every Friday morning during June, Longmont artists — members of the Longmont Studio Tour artists — will hire homeless clients from OUR Center as models for art sessions.
The models will be paid standard rates and traditional tips, totaling $100 for a half-day’s work. There will be a different model every week for four weeks.
About 20 local artists will participate, with approximately 25 pieces of art selected for a benefit sale.
In the second phase of the project, the finest pieces of art from the first phase will be sold through a silent auction at OUR Center’s annual dinner and dance fundraiser at the Radisson Hotel in Longmont, 6 to 11:30 p.m. Sept. 19.
Those attending the fundraiser will include art collectors, philanthropists and people from all parts of the St. Vrain region, including representatives of government, churches, medical clinics and private businesses.
At the fundraiser, OUR Center will tell the story of the models in a brief slide show and video presentation. The week before the fundraiser, the art will be shown at The Great Frame Up at 430 Main St. in Longmont and at the ArtLink celebration Sept. 18.
Art generated during the first phase that did not make the cut for the silent auction will be available for viewing and purchase at the artists’ studios during the studio tour Sept. 19.
The proceeds will go to the center.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the dinner/dance fundraiser and participate in the art auction, contact Elaine Klotz at the OUR Center at 303-772-5529 or go to the center’s website, .
The project is the idea of Longmont artist Robert Goldsworthy, a member of the Longmont Studio Tour artists.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
