Creative forces behind child's aid / LJWorld.com

Archive for Sunday, November 25, 2007

November 25, 2007

Past Event

by the Lawrence Art Guild

When: Saturday, December 1, 2007, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H., Lawrence
Cost: Free
More on this event....

The Holiday Art Fair will feature a new booth this year to raise money for a 4-year-old Lawrence boy with cancer.

Ann Andersson will be selling handmade steel necklaces with a pearl in the center and the word "hope" around it, because that's just what family friend Caden White needs.

White, son of Shannon and Darren White, has neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that occurs in the immature cells of the sympathetic nervous system.

Linda Baranski, president of the Lawrence Art Guild, said they are giving Andersson a free booth to assist with fundraising.

"We're hoping we can raise a little money for this little boy," she said.The sale will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H.

Event organizer Patty Boyer said there will be about 70 vendors - a new record - taking up both levels of the arts center.

Homemade purses, insect art, jewelry and woodworking will be just some of the many crafts on sale.

"It runs the gamut," she said. "It just shows an incredible mixture of artists, and everybody comes up with their individualistic style and individualistic take on a media they work in."

Boyer, who has organized the event for about 10 years, also has her own ceramic sculpture booth.

The art guild retains a 10 percent commission from artists, which goes back to the guild. Boyer said the guild helps fund student scholarships.

"It also runs the gamut of gift items for Christmas, too, so everyone should come and do their gift shopping, and lots of people do," she said.

Last year 5,000 to 6,000 visitors buzzed around the arts center, and Boyer expected that number to be about the same.

"There's lots of great energy. Everyone's doing it for the love of it," she said.