Copper Country Community Art Center raffling off art as a fundraiser

HANCOCK — If you’re still looking for unique gift ideas this holiday season, pieces of local artwork may be just the thing. Over 50 pieces from local and regional artists will be available and on display tomorrow in the Keweenaw Peninsula as part of a fundraiser.

Located on Quincy street in Downtown Hancock the Copper Country Community Art Center gives artists an outlet for their creativity.

“Since the art center is a non-profit organization, we have a variety of things that always need support,” said Bonnie Looks, assistant director of the Copper Country Community Art Center. “Our programs, our overhead costs, things like that, running a large facility in Downtown Hancock.”

One of the ways that the center covers it’s operational cost is with fundraisers like the one that will take place tomorrow.

“6×6 is a fundraising exhibit for the Copper Country Community Art Center in Hancock,” Looks said. “We send out a call to artists and ask if they’d like to participate. We provide a 6x canvas and a general deadline to get your work back to us.”

Those 6” square finished pieces have been on display at the center since the 5th of this month and will stay on exhibit until just before Christmas, but tomorrow folks will have a chance to purchase them and show their support.

“37 artists participated this year and there’s 51 works of art. So there’s a variety of art that is in the 6×6 fundraiser. People could come to the reception and see all of the work before it goes away. We’ve sold about half of the tickets already, as well as some pieces that have been bought outright,” added Looks. “There’s fiber pieces, stained glass, sculptures, and it’s really fun to see what people come up with too. Some don’t use the canvas at all and make something completely different.”

All of 51 of the pieces are the creation of artists who have donated their time, as a way to help the center and give back.

“We have a wonderful supportive arts community and I think a lot of businesses and organizations call upon artists to contribute their talents and with the art center, if we decide to do that we at least provide a starting point for people so providing a canvas is allowing people to say, ‘yes, I want to make something specifically for the art center.’”

A $40 dollar donation puts you in the random drawing, and secures one of these paintings to take home or give as a gift. Or for a $100 donation, patrons can preselect a specific piece before the drawing begins.

“The drawing is this Saturday at 1:30. The drawing and reception is from 1:00 – 3:00 PM. A lot of the artists that created work will be here this Saturday.”