Editor’s note: This is part of a series of promotional stories of local amateur artists that will be printed in the Urbana Daily Citizen in coming weeks.
A popular local fundraiser that supports local arts returns this year.
The polls are now open for the 9th annual Bad Art by Good People fundraiser, presented by the Champaign County Arts Council.
The tongue-in-cheek competition features non-artist celebrities creating works of art and campaigning for the public’s votes for their artwork.
Today’s featured artist is Elizabeth Smith. She is an attorney, small business owner and aspiring flower farmer.
Organization affiliations include the Mechanicsburg Library Board of Trustees, Champaign County Law Library Board, Champaign County Bar Association, Champaign County Chambermember, and Columbus Literacy Council.
She enjoys reading, community theater, watching sunsets, traveling, and meeting new people.
About her artwork, Smith said, “This is a painting of the beautiful barn at our farm. It has been part of the landscape here in southern Champaign County for almost 75 years. It was a dairy barn, a sheep barn, hay storage barn, and now hosts weddings and events and the occasional concert and market. The quilt was one of those sponsored by our own Arts Council ‘Barn Quilt’ project and we are very fond of it, and especially the story behind it. My rendering of the quilt certainly does not do justice to the original, but pays homage to this beautiful old building and our home here in Champaign County.”
In addition to Smith, the artists include Curtis Blake, First Central National Bank; Kristyn Campbell, Mechanicsburg School District; Lisa Dunham, Security National Bank; Kent Eichenauer, Dragonfly Vineyard & Wine Cellar; Jerry Fetherolf, Autism Educational Service Center; Josh Jacobs, Urbana Police Division; Katie Neer, Solomon’s Garage; Chris Phelps, Perpetual Federal Savings Bank; Andrea Russell, Tommy Brooks Salon; Steve Stout, sports editor of the Urbana Daily Citizen; Bev Titus, retired fitness instructor; Myles Trempe, Wallace & Turner; and Alex Trebek, host of the TV game show Jeopardy!
Trebek has hosted nearly 8,000 episodes of Jeopardy! in 35 years. The piece was obtained from Trebek and donated to the fundraiser by Urbana Daily Citizen Sports Editor Steve Stout and it will be part of the dinner and auction.
The public can vote for their favorite artwork using PayPal on the Arts Council’s website, www.champaigncountyartscouncil.org. Votes can also be cast with cash, check or credit card at the Arts Council, 119 Miami St., Urbana. The office is open Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dinner auction
A limited number of tickets are available for the dinner and auction, which will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, February 28, at the VFW hall, 220 East Court St. Tickets are $25 and include a catered dinner and dessert provided by “In Good Taste Catering.”
The “Bad Art” will be auctioned after dinner. All proceeds will benefit the Arts Council.
Tickets are for sale at the Arts Council’s office and online at the Arts Council’s website.
The gold sponsors for the event are Patrick Field/Coppertop and Eric Shiffer.
Silver sponsors include Atkins-Shively Funeral Home, CRSI, Wallace & Turner and Remax Alliance/The V. Patrick Hamilton Group. Bronze sponsors include Henderson Realty, Civista Bank, Vernon Funeral Home and Bauer Stoves.
Check out the Arts Council’s Facebook page for information leading up to the event — www.facebook.com/CCACUrbana.
For more information, contact the Arts Council office at 937-653-7557.
