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November 8, 2009

Bethany show brings cash to scholars, attention to artists

By Dan Nienaber

MANKATO — Memories of standing on the shores of Lake Superior, tossing rocks while listening to the sound of waves crashing into the shore are what came to Julie Karp’s mind when she saw Sarah Bloedel’s piece of art.

Karp liked the piece so much she became the first buyer for the Bethany and Friends Art Benefit. It’s a show that highlights artists with connections to Mankato’s Bethany Lutheran College and sells their art to raise money for student scholarships.

The memories Bloedel’s “Lake Superior Rocks” invoke were only part of what prompted Karp to make her purchase before the show even began this weekend. The deal was done when she learned the realistic-looking collection of water-polished rocks were actually created with crayons on cardboard.

“If you look at it, it’s hard to believe that it was created by regular crayons,” Karp said. “It’s a conversation piece more than anything.”

Kathy Bruss, wife of Bethany President Dan Bruss, hosted the art show at their home on Glencrest Drive Saturday and Sunday. For a $5 admission fee, visitors were able to enjoy donated deserts, sip coffee and punch and browse more than 100 pieces of art displayed throughout the home. Several musicians provided live background music.

There were drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures ranging in price from $5 to about $2,000. The artists received half of the money and half was donated to the scholarship fund. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans provided a 50 percent match for the first $1,600 sold, which, in effect, covered what was earned by the artists.

Bruss admitted she didn’t know what to expect when Bloedel, a mother with four children, described the piece of art she would be providing.

“When she said crayons on cardboard, I envisioned a woman coloring with her kids,” Bruss said.

Work on planning the show started about a year ago, but the past couple weeks have been very busy, Kathy Bruss said.

“We took down all of our own art and turned our house into a temporary gallery,” she said. “We try to have a variety of artists, so our intention was to not have anybody take the lime light. There’s good quality work at all levels.”

The most well known artist with work at the show was Bill Bukowski, who provided several of the higher-priced paintings. He was the commissioned to do a wall-sized painting of Sibley Park at a Mankato assisted living facility, so many area residents have seen his work, Bruss said.

It’s been four years since Bruss hosted a show. This year’s event didn’t have as many visitors as the last event. Bruss suspected that had something to do with the economy (buying art doesn’t beat paying off credit card bills on many priority lists these days) and the weekend’s almost perfect weather (it’s hard to spend part of the afternoon inside when the sun is shining and the wind is warm in November).

Still, Bruss stayed busy leading people through her home and introducing them to the original art that was available. Karp said she was happy to get the piece she did, although she saw it and bought it during an earlier event at the house.

“I’ve never bought a piece of art before, so this is a real adventure for me,” Karp said.

Items that didn’t sell will be available by contacting Bruss through the rest of November. What’s available is displayed on Bethany’s Web site at www.blc.edu/artbenefit.

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