Quick Draw Benefit for AIDS Services Coalition

Twenty-four artists rose to the challenge of producing a piece of art in an hour's time (plus 15 minutes to frame it) as a benefit for the AIDS Services Coalition in Hattiesburg, MS, last Sunday afternoon. South Mississippi Art Association sponsored this second annual event. Ticket holders milled about the huge Bottling Company (the 100-year-old former Coca-Cola bottling company remodeled as a lounge) enjoying food and drink as they watched the artists at work. John Wooten's steel drum and singing provided great background music. As he kept the artists posted on the remaining time on the clock, his music added a psychological boost. Beautiful island music in the early part, becoming more fast-paced the closer we got to the ending bell.

Artists worked in oil, watercolor, pencil, and--ta-da--fabric. We were allowed to bring a beginning rough sketch to begin our project. I had fused my fabric elements onto the background piece and layered it with batting. I brought the threads and Neocolor II crayons I needed to embellish the piece, along with my table and Janome 6500 and scissors and a few pins. The finished piece fit into an 11x14 frame and brought $200 at the live auction. The event is definitely not for the cautious and intimidated--a great way to help us gain confidence in our decisions and creativity. The visitors enjoyed asking questions and watching the artwork take shape. It was interesting to hear "Oh, that's the way you do that!"