New Hampshire Institute of Art will be teaming up with ConVal Community Dollars for Scholars to host a fundraising event, Art 2 Go, to benefit Dollars for Scholars scholarships and programs on Friday, April 29, from 5:30-9 p.m. Art 2 Go is a one-day pop-up art fundraising event where 50 artists donate two works of art. In exchange for their donation, the artists receive a ticket that can be used to select artwork to take home. Attendees who have purchased a ticket will also take home a piece. In advance of this fundraiser, we caught up with two participants: ConVal student Karlee Sell and ConVal art teacher Karrie Mitschmyer.
Why are you participating?
I think it’s a great opportunity not only for me to share my work but also to bring attention to the
Dollars for Scholars organization and the work they are doing to help provide students an education. It will be interesting to be see what other artwork is there and what other artists see the value of this as well.
Why do you make art and what kind of art do you make?
It’s kind of like therapy for me. Art is my way of relieving stress. I have practiced all kinds of mediums in high school but I think I’m most passionate about photographic arts.
Why it important that this is a community event involving students, NHIA, Sharon Arts and community members?
Obviously, this event is focused on students but by reaching out to other artists and the whole community in general the event is more appealing. People in the community who don’t have kids but care about kids may not know how to get involved, and I think art is a great tie — or link — that is needed to bring people together.
Why are you participating in Art2Go?
I’m participating in Art2Go for many reasons. First of all, I work at ConVal and Ben Putnam is one of the major organizers of the event and I wanted to help out. Secondly, I had never heard of it before and it sounded like a lot of fun. Finally, and most importantly, it’s a fundraiser for the Dollars for Scholars program so I absolutely want to help with that.
Why do you make art? And, what kind of art do you make?
I make art because I enjoy the process. I’m excited by the materials and the infinite possibilities I have with them. I make all sorts of things. Most of the time I work with clay to make functional and sculptural work. I also love making jewelry from copper pendants to watercolor earrings.
Why do you think it is important that this is a community event involving students, NHIA, Sharon Arts, and community members?
This is an important community event because it supports students in the community. Many of the students who will benefit from this fundraiser will receive support that they really need. It makes sense that community members help provide that support.
Art 2 Go will be held at the Sharon Arts Center campus in Sharon, and at the NHIA campus in Manchester.
All of the work will be showcased throughout the night and food and refreshments will be served.
Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at the Toadstool Bookshop and Steele’s Stationers.
Anyone interested in participating can contact Ben Putnam at bputnam@conval.edu or 831-2317.
For more information, visit www.conval.dollarsforscholars.org.
ConVal Community Dollars for Scholars (CVCDFS) is a local 501c non-profit organization that awards scholarship money to high school graduates from the nine towns that make up the ConVal School District. CVCDFS gave their first awards in 2005 and to date have awarded more than $250,000. Last year they provided 14 scholarship awards totaling more than $40,000. In addition to scholarship dollars they also provide a mentoring program for their award recipients.