This year the Bolinas Museum will hold its 22nd annual Benefit Art Auction and Party on Sept. 13. This popular West Marin social event, the museum’s most important fundraiser, is held at Susie and Mark Buell’s magical Peace Barn in Bolinas. Featuring a remarkable diversity in the 40 live auction lots and 23 silent auction offers, the event begins with a late afternoon cocktail party and live music by Piro Patton and friends and ends with a post-auction party that includes delicious food by Pam Ferrari and wines from Sean Thackrey and Nicholson Ranch.
The main event, however, is always the live auction, made liver by master auctioneer Mark Buell, who keeps everyone laughing and participating in good-natured competition throughout the night. The auction features a great range of works and styles donated by many well-loved and nationally recognized local artists; there’s Stinson Beach artist Michael Knowlton’s playful stacked car painting; a stunning black and white aerial photo of the oldest continually inhabited village in North America, Orabi, on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona, by Michael Light; and coveted works by Mission School locals Clare Rojas and Barry McGee. All are on view now at the museum’s preview exhibition.
Two artists of particular note this year are Arthur Okamura and Russell Chatham. Arthur, who died in 2009, moved to Bolinas in 1959, when he was the only abstract painter in the area. His art is in important collections, including at the Smithsonian. Kitty Okamura has generously offered not just one, but an entire portfolio of eight vibrant screen prints that date back to 1971, when Arthur was known for his hard-edged graphics. This rare portfolio was inspired by a book of poetry he illustrated titled “Ox Herding” that interprets a famous Zen tale on mindfulness.
Marshall artist Russell Chatham is nationally celebrated as a landscape painter, lithographer, author, hunting and fishing expert and conservationist, among other talents. Knowing this auction is the museum’s most important fundraiser of the year, Russell, who has a long friendship with the museum, proposed an astonishing offer that will benefit both the museum and the winning bidder. The winner of his two paintings will choose to keep one, while the other will be donated to the museum’s permanent collection in the winning bidder’s name.
There are also some incredible special offers in both the live and silent auction. Consider a week in impressionist country along the River Seine in France, a private dinner at a famous San Francisco art curator’s home, surf lessons, a weekend stay at Coal & Feed in Marshall or a Parkside Café private wood-fired dinner for 12. Can’t make the auction? The museum is always happy to facilitate absentee bids. Tickets are on sale now and going fast; for more information visit bolinasmuseum.org or call (415) 868.8809.