The Fort Vancouver Regional Library in Vancouver, WA, held their 7th Annual Art4Art Fundraiser on Oct. 4th, 2024. Local artist who wanted to donate their art to the fundraiser were give 8"x8" wooden panels on which they were free to choose any topic for their illustration/painting.
One the day of the show, sponsors and members of the library could then purchase the various works at a very reasonable $30/work with all proceeds going to the library
I learned about the event 3 days before the art was due! Also, since it was for a library fundraiser, I thought the topic should be an author. I decided to paint a portrait of Eugene Ionesco, surrealist playwright and author known best for his play "Rhinoceros."
I turned the painting in a day before the deadline and spent the next few weeks in anticipation of the show.
My wife and I were really looking forward to seeing how the public reacted to my work, but we assumed it must have been received well since the painting was snatched up by a patron before we even got to the show!
A week later I received a nice email from the person who purchased the painting. I thanked them for helping out the library and that this experience has inspired me to plan a variety of author portraits for next year.
With any luck maybe that $30 painting of his will have been a good investment, if I can manage to get my work more widely known and valued.
Huzzah!
"Eugene's Greatest Fear," 8"x8", acrylic on panel. Signed on back.