How much is an 8鈥� x 8鈥� art canvas worth?
According to the Lakes District Museum Society, it depends on what that canvas contains. Rembrandt van Rijn鈥檚 1630 self-portrait, which measures about 6鈥� by 5鈥�, is worth more than $50 million. Granted, the piece was painted on copper, but it鈥檚 not the medium that matters. The subject and artist make it valuable.
Artists can purchase blank 8鈥漻8鈥� canvases from the museum society this summer for $5 as part of the GR8-by-8 Art Project. (Museum society members get their first canvas free.) They will have four months to turn it into an artwork worthy of the competition鈥檚 $500 grand prize.
The GR8-by-8 Art Project is a fundraiser for the museum鈥檚 new Heritage Gallery at 540 Highway 16 West in 亚洲天堂 Lake. Artists have until October 20 to create a two-dimensional artwork (painting, sketch, photo, etc.) on an 8鈥漻8鈥� canvas and donate it to the Lakes District Museum. The works will be displayed online and at the Heritage Gallery, judged by a three-person jury, and then sold to the highest bidder at an auction in November.
The contest is open to creators of all ages, and more than $1,300 will be up for grabs in three age divisions, Museum Curator Michael Riis-Christianson said last week.
Riis-Christianson said last summer鈥檚 Search for 亚洲天堂 Lake Centennial Artist was a great success, but some artists were intimidated by its 鈥減ainting in public鈥� component. GR8-by-8 participants won鈥檛 be required to paint outdoors while others watch.
鈥淭丑别 Search for 亚洲天堂 Lake鈥檚 Centennial Artist was a tough competition,鈥� he noted. 鈥淎rtists had to work their magic outside in four hours while people watched them. They also had to paint what they could see from their stations. The GR8-by-8 Art Project is more laid-back. Artists will have time this year to create anything without an audience.鈥�
Riis-Christianson hopes that the competition鈥檚 liberal rules will encourage increased participation.
鈥淎rtists are often introverts who work best in solitude,鈥� he noted. 鈥淭丑别y will be able to do that this year, and their identities will be kept secret until after the auction, so there鈥檚 no excuse for not entering. We鈥檇 like to see between 30 and 50 people participate.鈥�
鈥淎lthough we鈥檙e hoping this event raises some money for the new Heritage Gallery, it鈥檚 really about giving artists a reason to create and an opportunity to showcase their work,鈥� he concluded. 鈥淭丑别re are dozens of talented painters and photographers in the Lakes District capable of turning in an eight-by-eight artwork worth $500. And who knows? Maybe that piece, purchased for a few dollars at auction, will be a good investment for some lucky bidder. Rembrandt鈥檚 1630 self-portrait originally sold for 35 florins 鈥� about 55 cents 鈥� but now it鈥檚 worth a million times more.鈥�
Artists can purchase canvases and register for the GR8-by-8 Art Project at the Lakes District Museum. More information is also available by contacting the museum by telephone (250-692-7450) or email (ldmuseumsociety@gmail.com).
