Art auction to benefit Children’s Hospital

Main Squeeze will be the place to bid on works of fine art Sunday night.

The restaurant will hold a silent auction of work by local artists to benefit the MU Children’s Hospital’s Arts Program from 6 to 8 p.m. A separate silent auction of paintings by Children’s Hospital patients will be held at Main Squeeze throughout August, with all proceeds going to the art program. Bids can be placed on about 15 children’s paintings at the restaurant until Aug. 31, and the winning bidders will be notified during the first week of September.

The children’s art, which includes paintings of a spotted cat and a bird perched on a tree limb, is on display inside Main Squeeze. The paintings were done as part of a weekly art program at Children’s Hospital coordinated by Jenny Wright, an educational outreach coordinator for the University Concert Series. The art program, which began in April, takes place at the hospital every Thursday afternoon and provides activities such as craft time, storytelling and performance art for patients.

Wright said because this is the first year for the art auction, she doesn’t have a specific fundraising goal in mind. But she said the money raised will go toward buying art supplies and organizing activities for the patients. She also said she is working on starting an annual arts festival, a kids’ summer concert series and a calendar featuring the children’s artwork.

Leigh Lockhart, the owner of Main Squeeze, said she was excited to provide a venue for the auction because she is a friend of Wright’s and loves children’s art.

“I think involving children in art, whether they’re sick or not, is a good idea,” she said. “I’ve always had a love for children’s art. It’s simple, and the subject matter’s always crazy. You’ll say, ‘What is that, a dolphin?’ and they’ll say, ‘No, it’s a dinosaur.’”

Lockhart contacted several artists about donating their work to the auction, and word spread quickly about the fundraiser. Several artists have donated paintings, jewelry, pottery and photography to be auctioned. Columbia photographer Nirja Loyalka donated a few of her prints, which Lockhart said usually sell for hundreds of dollars.

“People have been very willing to donate their work, because they know they’re donating it to a good cause,” Wright said.

Bids will be taken on the artists’ work from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Main Squeeze, 28 S. Ninth St. The winning bids will be announced at 8 p.m., and Lockhart said she hopes at least 100 people will stop by the auction.

“Even if they don’t put a bid on the piece of art, there (are) a lot of ways to contribute to the program,” Lockhart said.

Wright said community members are welcome to volunteer their time to the program, whether they want to perform for the children or just help out with the weekly activities. For more inforamation about volunteering, call Jenny Wright at 882-3781.