They say art is subjective, which might explain why Not So Bad Art by Good People (NSBA) continues to bring in funding for the Logan County Art League. Anyone can find healing through art — whether from holding the brush or clay or camera in their hands or from buying a favorite piece to grace their home or business.
“It’s our largest fundraiser of the year,” Nancy Funderburgh, Art League president, told attendees at Friday night’s culminating dinner and auction. “And this is one of the best shows we’ve had.”
Following the annual dinner at Bellefontaine VFW, Funderburgh and Karen Feltham, league treasurer and NSBA committee chair, invited the eight artists in attendance, one at a time, to share about their work before it was auctioned off by local auctioneers Mick Lile and Jeff Dalton. (Feltham shared Ben Vollrath’s thoughts, as he was unable to attend.)
Over the course of the night, prices paid for the various pieces ranged from $70 to $700. In fact, two canvases tied for the highest bid—a painting from Pastor Justin Cluck titled, “The Cross Above It All” and another from Mary Rutan employee Tammy Allison, whose heartfelt tribute to her mother, which she called, “Always With You,” featured a yellow butterfly.
Throughout the weeks leading up to Friday’s event, the community was invited to vote for their favorite while the pieces were on display at Citizens Federal Savings & Loan, Bellefontaine. Each vote cost a dollar, and the winner — a mixed-media piece by Elaine Fagan Moore — was also recognized Friday night.
In total, the fundraiser brought in around $4,000 for the art league, after expenses. Though that’s not at the level they reached in the years before the pandemic, the league considered it a success.
“It still does what we want it to do,” Feltham said. “It promotes the visual arts in Logan County and shows the community anyone can be involved, not just people who consider themselves artists.”
Feltham — and many of those who participated — see art as an emotional process that can be cathartic for anyone. In fact, a couple of the not-so-bad artists became visually emotional while talking about their involvement.
Details about the next Not So Bad Art by Good People fundraiser will be released later in the year. You can learn more about the Art League, from classes to membership, by visiting their website at logancountyartleague.org.