Art was going once, going twice and going home with bidders at Behringer-Crawford Museum’s 34th annual freshART gala, raising more than $78,000 for local youth educational programming.
The auction offered a variety of artistic styles and media, including Billy Tackett’s “Sphere 2,” which Neil and Julie Capeci took home with their winning bid. Tackett’s distinctive splatter technique uses no brushes. Instead, he dips his fingers into paint and flicks it onto the canvas, building detailed images from layers of splatters.
The celebration brought together works by 53 artists from four states and 25 cities. It also welcomed Kentucky, the great horned owl who inspired an award-winning wood carving by local artist Chris Rust. Kentucky visited through Biology Integration and Outreach for Science Education (BIOSE), a nonprofit serving Northern Kentucky and southwestern Ohio.
freshART artists had 10 days to create original works in Devou Park and the surrounding community for the live auction. Previously completed works were offered through the online silentART auction. Three artists were presented the Patricia and William Applegarth Artists Excellence Awards for their work. They were Sherri Thomas, first place; Paula Risch Head, second; and Christine Moore, third.
Chris Rust received an honorable mention for his wood carving, “Great Horned Owl.”
Kim Krause, David Hausrath and Jan Brown Checco served as judges for the event.
Behringer-Crawford’s 2027 freshART gala and auction is Saturday, Sept. 11.
Behringer-Crawford Museum