Call for all artists to benefit annual Piestewa Memorial Event

The Piestewa Memorial Committee's (PMC) first annual art show entitled "ART Among Cultures"-a fundraising benefit featuring the works of the Santa Maria Artists Group (www.SantaMariaArtistsGroup.com) will be held on Saturday,

Nov. 10, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the American Lutheran Church gymnasium (which was used for Jessica Lynch's baby shower last year). The address is 1830 West Glenrosa in Phoenix. 

For the past four years, friends and family have gathered at Piestewa Peak in memory of Spc. Lori Ann Piestewa, the first Iraq War female and first Native American woman to die in combat for the United States, and other fallen soldiers. The all-day memorial culminating in an evening candlelight vigil is a multicultural, spiritual and patriotic experience to which people from all walks of life gather in memory and to solidify the bonds of "family" as they share their grief for their fallen heroes. Veterans from all branches of the U.S. armed forces participate and are honored for their contributions to this country.

This will be a dynamic multi-cultural exhibition befitting a celebration of so many lives given as the ultimate sacrifice and a catalyst of hope, peace and friendship. "ART Among Cultures" can help create a bridge of friendship and understanding to all people while assisting PMC's efforts in gathering so many families of fallen heroes at the annual event.

Lori's parents, Terry and Percy Piestewa, along with Lori's children, Brandon and Carla, will be in attendance.

Some of the PMC Committee women including Percy Piestewa, Lori's aunts, Barbara Benally and Liz Gonzales, will be cooking frybread outdoors and selling Gonzales' gourmet baked pastries and deserts. There will be a food vendor with Navajo tacos, frybread, desserts, coffee, tea, water and soda and a variety of folk/Native American entertainment including Randy Kemp (Choctaw/Euchee-Creek), who is an Arizona State University professor/environmental graphic designer, artist registered member with the Native American National Art Consortium, Atlatl, Inc. and flute player. Kemp will perform some of his flute music and participate as an artisan.

Ray Powell, guitar player and folk singer, will play a salute to Lori and other songs.

Jim Covarrubius (PMC member) will give a live painting demonstration (as he did at the West Valley Art Museum). He will also donate a piece of his art either as a raffle item or a silent auction item to help raise funds for PMC. Covarrubius' artistic roots are planted firmly in the Chicano and Native community and he is a driving force in the Chicano art scene. 

In 1978 he helped to found the Movimiento Artistico del Rio Salado (MARS) art group and ARIZTLAN, a statewide organization of Hispanic artists and writers. 

There will be ribbons awarded from The Santa Maria Artists Group for People's Choice for first, second and third places.

All participating artists will be required to enter into a commission agreement with PMC wherein 20 percent of their individual art sales will be donated to PMC to assist in defraying the costs associated with the March 2008 Piestewa Memorial Event.

All artists are encouraged (but not required) to donate an art piece for a raffle (100 percent to PMC) or silent auction (50 percent of proceeds to the artist and 50 percent to PMC.)

Nov. 1 is the deadline for completed applications accompanied by a $40 fee for each space.

This is a low budget, minimum-security exhibition; thus, artwork should not be brought to the premises of the show prior to the actual day of the show.

All art pieces must be ready for hanging (framed, with hanging hard wire or hooks-if painting is unframed, gallery edges are required). Pieces that do not require framing must also be ready for hanging. In other words, all art pieces must be in a finished state for the buyer to take home and display. Unless independently powered, no pieces requiring electricity will be displayed. Trinkets and crafts will not be a part of the artwork on sale.

All invited artists will submit a completed application form available at www.SantaMariaArtistsGroup.com and a $40 per space fee.

All artists will be required to personally sell their own work. All work must be of their making. All tables, easels, display items, backdrops, tablecloths, etc. must be provided by artists for their own use. There will be a few tables available for rent at $10 for the day. All spaces must be cleaned by each artist upon leaving. 

On Friday evening, Nov. 9, all artists will be able to bring in their tables and easels for their artwork. However, the actual art work will be not be set up until Saturday morning, Nov. 10 at 8 a.m.-two hours before the doors open to the public at 10 a.m.

Each artist must write two sales receipts: one for the artist's records and one for the buyer. Upon exiting the building, the buyer will present his/her sales receipt to the designated PMC person at the door. In this manner, the 20 percent of sales due PMC can be tabulated at the end of the day.

A designated PMC person will be at the exit to dismiss each artist as they leave to make sure their percentage was given to PMC. 

There is no fee to submit the application. However, because all spaces are first come - first serve, a deposit will insure a space.

All artwork on display during the "ART Among Cultures Show" will NOT be insured by PMC, the Santa Maria Artists Group or the American Lutheran Church.

Each artist is responsible for his/her own Arizona sales tax requirements.

If the artist is Native American, tribal enrollment is not essential, but tribal affiliation would be helpful for promotional materials. Works of art must be available for sale and must not have been sold and/or be the property of any individual, organization, business, etc.

Submit application to: Santa Maria Artists Group; ART Among Cultures Show; Margaret Clark-Price (PMC Member); 5311 West North Lane; Glendale, AZ; 85302.

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