20th Annual Ah Haa Auction, 7/15

06 Jul 20th Annual Ah Haa Auction, 7/15

Telluride’s Ah Haa School for the Arts’ 20th annual art auction celebrates “25 Years of Creativity.” The event takes place Friday, July 15, 6 – 10 p.m. under a tent next to the Depot, 300 South Townsend, where the school is currently housed. Funds raised benefit programming, including scholarships, tuition assistance, facilities and equipment upgrades, and visiting artists. Tickets are $35 general admission; $100 for reserved seating. Buy your tickets now – and avoid long lines – here. For reserved seating, call Kathleen Cole, 970-728-3886.

In 1991…

Operation Desert Storm, The Gulf War, the War in Kuwait begins on January 16.

UN forces declare victory on April 3.

The Soviet Union breaks up after President Gorbachev’s resignation; constituent republics form the Commonwealth of Independent States.

After many years of apartheid in South Africa, a new constitution for multicultural society was formed and apartheid was repealed.

Professor Anita Hill accuses Judge Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment (but Thomas is confirmed for the Supreme Court days later).

Notable technology advances include Airbag, A Blue Rose (genetic engineering), and Tim Berners-Lee introduces the web browser.

Time Magazine’s Man of the Year was Bill Clinton.

The Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series; the Washington Redskins won the Super Bowl.

Woody Allen (then age 56) left his long-term partner Mia Farrow after she discovered his secret affair with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn (then age 21).

Marisa Tomai won Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance in “My Cousin Vinnie.”

Other big movies were “Aladdin,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” ‘Batman Returns,” “Lethal Weapon 3,” “A Few Good Men,” and “Basic Instinct.”

Lance Armstrong became the U.S. National Amateur Champion.

And locally artist Daniel Tucker decided to use an inheritance to open a school in Telluride dedicated to celebrating the triumph of personal discovery, summed up by the exclamation “Ah Haa!”

Graphic design, Lauren Metzger.

“Celebrating 25 Years of Creativity” is the theme of Ah Haa’s upcoming auction, which takes place Friday, July 15, 6 – 10 p.m. 

For over 20 years, Ah Haa’s annual fundraiser has been the must-attend event of the summer season. Art lovers and community members support Ah Haa by bidding on a wide range of work created by artists from near and far.

In all, more than 100 artworks, plus myriad services and adventures, are donated by the region’s artists, businesses, and supporters of the school. Many of the pieces on the auction block were specifically made for the event by the community’s talented artists.

Bruce Gomez painting: “Telluride from Robin’s Field.”
Value: $4500
Minimum Bid: $3000.
Size: 22”x 30”. Medium: Pastel on watercolor paper
Sponsored by Telluride Gallery of Fine Art.

Why else support Ah Haa?

Let’s play by the numbers.

After 25 years in operation, today Ah Haa offers the following:

Over 200 classes and workshops for youth and adults taught by regional artists/teachers: after-school classes for youth; 1-day art immersions; summer youth art camps; No-School Art Days; creative arts classes for adults in a variety of subjects; Art PE for non-skiing regional youth.

Over 20 visiting artists teach over 70 summer art immersion camps, serving approximately 400 unique youth and adult students, plus 10 adult workshops in encaustic, pastel, oil painting, watercolor and acrylic painting, photography, drawing, printmaking, and mixed media.

Pearl Jam-Signed Fender Guitar
Value: Priceless
Minimum Bid: $1000
A Fender Classic Series 50s Stratocaster Electric Guitar Regular with a Fiesta Red Maple Fretboard signed by the band Pearl Jam.

Ah Haa hosts 10+ exhibitions in 2 gallery spaces to provide exposure to both community members and visiting artists.

Ah Haa’s American Academy of Bookbinding offers over 25 weeks of classes annually serving over 150 national and international instructors and students; 1-week and 2-week courses; diploma opportunities in Fine Binding and Book Conservation.

Jeff Lipsky “The Bradbury Building”
Value: $5000
Minimum Bid: $3500
Size: 42” x 52.5”
Medium: Archival Ink Jet Print

In 2015, Ah Haa gave over $83,000 in scholarships and discounts to children and adults, maintaining its policy of never turning a student away due to their financial limitations.

In 2016, Ah Haa expects over 8500 locals, second homeowners and visitors will have taken our classes, visited the galleries and attended our events. In 2015, the school hosted 8 art shows in the Daniel Tucker Gallery; 8 local artist shows in the East Room Gallery.

Three luxury excursions for 2 – A Voyage to Mauna Kea; Dinner at Strawberry Patch, and a Whale Watching Tour.
Value: $4500
Minimum Bid: $3500
Designed as a private getaway for the McCormick Spice family, the Onion House offers a luxury vacation experience set in a Hawaiian paradise. Enjoy the nearly-one acre secluded estate, featuring a 70-foot pool, terrace and gardens. Just five minutes from town, beaches, restaurants and adventures, this paradise package is available April-October 2017 or 2018. (No children under 10)

Another view of Orion House:

Finally, in 2015, over 150 volunteers donated over 1000 hours to special events, classes, facilities maintenance, and more.

The auction is golden opportunity to raise a glass to Ah Haa to help celebrate its silver anniversary.

Then raise your paddle…

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