Sue Callihan isn’t in the position to write the Peterborough Food Pantry a check for $600. But the Hancock painter has found another way to help during the coronavirus pandemic.
Through Friday, April 10, Callihan will be accepting bids for a 12 inch by 12 inch oil painting she recently finished in her Hancock studio, a loose interpretation of Fremont Field Conservation Land in Peterborough.
“This is something I can do,” Callihan said. “It’s so easy.”
Callihan said if she was to sell the painting in her studio, the asking price would be $600. She set the minimum bid at $200, but as of Tuesday afternoon, the auction’s top bid stood at $600.
“Every day I get new bids,” Callihan said after originally posting the auction on Facebook and Instagram on Saturday. “I’m hoping it will go up a little bit because all the money goes to the food pantry.”
And Callihan expects the final price – and donation – will rise, especially with all the important work that the food pantry located at the Peterborough Community Center does to serve families in the ConVal, Mascenic and Jaffrey-Rindge school districts.
“I just know that people are having a hard time feeding their families,” Callihan said. “Just think of the people that were barely making it before this.”
So doing something for the Peterborough Food Pantry was “just a no brainer.” She had recently donated a painting for ConVal’s End 68 Hours of Hunger for its upcoming fundraiser, but it had to be postponed.
Callihan thought about all the parents now out of work and kids not going to school and getting breakfast and lunch, and it just made her want to help in the best way she could.
“It’s a way for me to make a nice donation,” Callihan said. “And it seemed like the right place to raise money for.”
The painting of Fremont Field Conservation Land is one she calls an interpretation of “a beautiful field with a beautiful sky.” She added the fence and used her own style to make it unique.
Callihan started painting in her 40s, taught at the Sharon Arts Center for 10 years and then in the studio of her former Peterborough home studio for 20 more. She started with watercolors and along the way added oils, which is the medium for the painting up for auction.
When she first started this, Callihan hoped it might inspire others to do something similar. And it didn’t take long as one of her artistic friends, Dan Thibeault has decided to hold an auction of his own.
Thibeault has picked an 18 inch by 24 inch scene of Mount Monadnock, which he said “is always popular.” While the specifics are still being worked out, Thibeault plans to open his auction after Callihan’s is complete, with the winning bid going directly to the Peterborough Food Pantry as well.
“I’m sure they can’t buy enough food at this point,” Thibeault said.
While Thibeault has donated many pieces over the years for various fundraisers, this one feels different.
“It’s a way I can help right now,” he said. “I don’t think a lot of people realize the number of people that need food.”
Thibeault said this is something he can do to help others at this difficult time.
“People need to be compassionate and help somebody if they can,” he said. “It’s a win-win situation.”
He said the bidding will likely start with a $200 minimum, but the painting would be sold for $500 and expects it may get to that number.
“People realize they’re helping a good cause,” he said. “However we can do it, we should do it.”
And when Thibeault’s auction, which will be held on Facebook, is over, Callihan sees the possibility for more. In fact, it’s somewhat of a challenge.
“I’d love if other people jumped on board and did the same thing,” she said. “There’s so many people around here doing amazing work. And a lot of artists have extra time on their hands to do something just like this right now.”
Callihan’s auction runs until 9 p.m. on April 10. Bids can be sent, along with a name and phone number to sue@suecallihan.com or through Facebook messenger. In the event there is more than one winning bid, Callihan will do a drawing with a third party present, and the winner takes the painting. The winner will be announced on Saturday, April 11 at noon. For more, search Sue Callihan Paintings on Facebook.