Virtuoso Violins debuting around Flathead Valley, bids being accepted
Twelve prominent Montana artists have offered their talents to a Glacier Symphony and Chorale fundraiser celebrating its 30th season. The “Virtuoso Violins Art Auction” is a traveling exhibit of 11 sculpted and painted violins that will be displayed during the month of June in store windows of Frame of Reference in Bigfork, Glacier Bank in downtown Kalispell, and at Bozeman Watch Co. in Whitefish.
The event has three auction components; written bids, a silent auction and a Finale party that includes a live auction. Written bids can be accepted anytime by submitting a written bid form to the GSC, available at the GSC website www.gscmusic.org. Silent auction bids will begin in July when the violins will be displayed at three GSC outdoor summer concerts: Pops Night Fundraiser Concert in Bigfork at Harbor Village on July 6; at the Summer Symphony Pops Concert at Rebecca Farm on July 7 and at the Festival Amadeus Open Air Orchestra Concert July 22 in Whitefish Depot Park.
The most current high bid will be posted online so bidders can track the progress of the fundraiser.
The Finale and the awarding of the violin art will be held at a gala “Virtuoso Violins and Vino Art Auction” at the O’Shaughnessy Center on July 23 at a cost of $25 each. Festivities will include sampling of fine Italian and Austrian wines from “Mozart’s Cellar” with the ability to order by the case with 10 percent of the proceeds benefitting the GSC.
Written Bids must be received by noon that day to be considered at the evening gala/auction. The event will conclude with a live auction conducted by Whitefish personality, Richard Atkinson.
Organizing the auction are long time supporters of the GSC, Margene Berry of Lakeside and Kalispell oil painters, Jennifer Li and Nicholas Oberling.
“This is a great collaboration between our visual arts community and the Glacier Symphony and Chorale. We’ve had great support from these 12 valley artists who are donating 100 percent of the proceeds from their creations to the Symphony,” Berry said.
She adds that each violin is designed in the artist’s favorite medium ranging from painting to sculpting offering a diversity of styles that will appeal to a wide audience of art lovers.
The artists participating in the Virtuoso Violin Art Auction are Nancy Cawdrey, Karen Leigh, Nick Oberling, Jennifer Li, Rochelle Lombardi, Mark Ogle, Rob Akey, Jeff Manion, Jeffrey Funk, Marla Edmiston, Susan Guthrie and Tara Moore.
Contributing to the auction’s success is John Stalowy, a Bigfork photographer who provided images of each piece of art to incorporate into a bidding book. The book details each artist’s concept and provides a comprehensive look at the artwork being offered for sale.
To obtain a copy of the bidding book, call the GSC office at 257-3241. Or view the Virtuoso Violin Art online at www.gscmusic.org.