HOLLY NADLER
508-687-9239
The big buzz around town this past week was the boffo success of the Artists For Obama event at the Dragonfly Gallery. (Oh oh. Boffo? I’m starting to sound like the Hollywood Reporter.) But putting show biz talk aside, participants were amazed at the turnout and the sheer goodwill and generosity of the artists.
I caught up with gallery owner Holly Alaimo on Tuesday after the two-day exhibition, and, standing amid her thoroughly-emptied walls, she looked pleasurably gobsmacked. “It was a great way to end our season!” she enthused.
She gave full credit to West Tisbury artist Leslie Baker, who came up with the uncommonly fresh idea at, appropriately enough, the plein air exhibit at the Dragonfly last month. Twenty artists were co-opted on the spot, and as word spread, another twenty-plus signed on.
Holly explained how it all went down: On Sunday a long line miraculously formed outside the door. Some of the buyers knew they were in for the long haul and brought lawn chairs and coolers. Numbers were issued on red dots, one per person, and buyers were admitted to the gallery to pick out a painting. “Each piece of art was unsigned and untagged,” Holly explained. Of course the cognoscenti would recognize the styles of some of their favorite artists, but the idea was for people to select an item based on love rather than the cold calculation of an artist’s value either now or in the future.
Once a piece was chosen, the buyer would apply his or her numbered dot, then proceed to the donation table. All along, the minimum price was pegged at $100 (to be sure, above the affordability of many of us po’ Islanders at this time of the year), but a great deal for the purchase of an Allen Whiting, or a Wendy Weldon, or, yes, a Leslie Baker, or an unknown artist whose work has made one’s heart soar. And here’s the kicker that made everyone’s heart soar, including Holly Alaimo’s: “Most people gave more than a hundred dollars!” she said.
The fabulous and shocking part of the fundraiser was that the paintings sold out within an hour and ten minutes. The indomitable Leslie Baker began phoning and e-mailing her coterie of artists and, in no time, commitments were given to fill the walls up again for Monday’s part deux of the show. Holly was also inspired by the tandem offering of Alison Shaw at her gallery across the street: “She opened her doors and sold a whole bunch of her photographs as part of the event.”
Because I positively excel at asking stupid questions (so no annoyed letters, please; I know it’s stupid), I put this query to Holly: “Are there any Republican artists on the Vineyard?”
She replied with a discreet grin. “Oh, yes, there are a few.” Not that she’d necessarily known in advance, but she got the message when they politely declined to contribute. Well, what do you expect? This is a very blue island in a blue state in a — with any luck and the hard work of people such as those involved in the Dragonfly event — a blue country. (If I’m annoying any McCain fans, I owe you a cup of coffee at Mocha Mott’s if we chance to meet on the street.)
Don’t forget the Oak Bluffs School Auction on Oct. 25 at the P.A. Club, to benefit the eighth grade trip to Philly. Tickets will cost $10, two for $15. The price will include a light buffet. Some of the auctioned items are Red Sox tickets, breakfast with Mr. Binney, skating and lunch with Ms. Rose, and a beach day with Ms. Jones.
The next event at the Oak Bluffs Library (that I know of), will feature that wacky woman who writes ghost stories. Yes, if you show up on Thursday, Oct. 30 at 6:30, I’ll be doing what I do best — that is, scaring people, with stories from my new collection of true ghost tales, Vineyard Supernatural (Down East Books.)
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