Week three of #artistsforhope is here and Richmond’s creative force is yet again offering up its finest work to benefit a variety of good causes during this time of need. Inspired by Ed Trask, this growing movement provides an opportunity for Richmonders to virtually bid on the work of some of the area’s most talented artists using Instagram and Facebook with 100% of proceeds supporting a cause or nonprofit selected by each artist.
New to Artists for Hope this week, The Knitorious M.E.G. has jumped in to support the initiative by auctioning one of her highly sought after yarn bombs! Known as the “South’s favorite yarn bomber,” for years Knitorious M.E.G. has installed hundreds of “love bombs” around Richmond. And we could all use a love bomb right now! To make that possible, the local artist is auctioning Love Bomb No. 111 on her Instagram HERE and Facebook HERE. Her auction runs until 10 pm Friday, April 10.
Knitorious M.E.G. will donate 100% of proceeds from the sale of her Love Bomb to Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund. The fund is organized by a coalition of RVA based arts and culture partners including CultureWorks Richmond, Studio Two Three, 1708 Gallery, Black American Artists Alliance of Richmond, Visual Arts Center of Richmond, ART 180 Afrikana Independent Film Festival, Oakwood Arts, and other arts organizations in the region. The purpose of the fund is to provide artists from all disciplines in the Richmond and Tri-Cities region with a one-time $500 grant to assist them during the current health emergency.
Steve Hedberg is also supporting the COVID-19 Arts & Culture Relief Fund this week. “I have a job. The fund I’m supporting doesn’t apply to me. But many artists who are auctioning off these paintings weekly rely on their art. It’s their livelihood,” explains Hedberg.
The piece Hedberg is donating this week is an extension of his James River project, and one of a series of Wildflowers and Mud. “While paddling the James, I found harmony between those two. After a long day of paddling, I’d get a bit muddy on the banks where beautiful wildflowers grew. It reminds me of the mess we are in now, yet beauty inevitably grows from it. Thank you to all the artists who continue to live the dream and are now still showing compassion and support when they and their families are being affected by the pandemic as well.” Richmonders can bid on “Wildflowers and Mud No. 3,” 10” x 10” acrylic and black walnut ink on wood panel, on Hedberg’s Instagram HERE.
Hamilton Glass is donating another painting in his hand study series, a 14 x 14 piece titled “Reach for the Sun #3.” This is the third production in his series and it’s available for bidding until 10 PM on Friday, April 10 on his Instagram HERE and Facebook HERE.
“I’m really enjoying this and feel like I’m growing every time I create one of these pieces,” says Glass, who will be donating 100% of the proceeds to Soil for Resilience Gardens lead by Duron L Chavis. “This project needs to get 1300 bags of soul to complete their goal. They will be distributing 200 raised beds all over the greater Richmond area to help increase food security so people can grow their own food. Let’s try to raise some money to help another great cause,” says Glass.
Nico Cathcart is back again this week with a 10” x 10” oil study of a magnolia on board. Cathcart will donate 100% of the money generated by the highest bid by 10 pm on Friday, April 10 to Feed More’s efforts to collect, prepare and distribute food to neighbors in need across 34 counties and cities in Central Virginia. You can bid on Cathcart’s magnolia on her Instagram HERE.
Matt Lively is continuing his support of Artists for Hope again this week with another popular piece, this time supporting Bridging RVA. “They have been delivering food and supplies to Communities In Schools of Chesterfield families in need weekly,” explains Lively. The highest bidder this week will win a 12″ x 12″ painting, stickers, a thank you note and possibly a surprise little painting. You can bid on Lively’s work on Instagram HERE.
This week, Mickael Broth, “The Night Owl,” is supporting OAR of Richmond, an organization that provides individuals and families affected by incarceration with transition services that support safe and successful reintegration into the community. “The piece I am auctioning is one of the few remaining drawings I have from my time in jail (2004-05),” explains Broth. The piece is called Pink Dots and is ball point pen on a sheet of legal pad paper that is beautifully framed by Randy Hess.
“This whole quarantine situation has put a lot in perspective for most folks, myself included,” says Broth. “One thing that I’ve been reflecting on is the time I spent behind bars and how in hindsight it was one of the most positive periods of my life. No thanks to the ‘justice’ or correctional systems, which are fundamentally corrupt and broken, but for the perspectives it gave me on my own life and those of the folks I was surrounded by. I met some incredibly kind, generous people who had gotten nothing but the sharp end their entire lives, folks who made the tiniest poor choices that were costing them years of their lives in a horrible, dangerous, uncaring environment. The situation that folks behind bars deal with on a daily basis is designed to break people. And rebuilding a life after months or years in confinement is no easy task..so big ups to any organization that aids people who want to shine after they’ve done their time.”
Broth will accept bids until 10 pm on Friday on his Facebook page HERE and Instagram HERE.
Best of all, these are only a few examples of artists participating this week. Richmond Grid is honored to again partner with Artists for Hope by providing an ongoing list HERE that includes participating artists, the cause they are supporting, and where to follow them to bid on their creations. You can also read weekly updates on a special section of Grid’s site HERE. Happy bidding for a good cause!