"If you love art and believe in affordable housing, you should come to the art auction," said ARCH Community Housing Trust Executive Director Michelle Griffith.
Prior to taking the head position at ARCH, Griffith lived in Russia, where she organized art auctions for Russian charities. Through her work, she met and became friends with the head of international auctions at Christie's auction house, Hugh Edmeades.
Edmeades is based in London, but he will be in Sun Valley on Saturday, Aug. 14, for the ARCH Community Housing Trust's ARTrageous fine-art auction benefit.
Edmeades has been with Christie's since 1978. He is the most sought-after auctioneer for high-profile international auctions, conducting more than 40 such sales a year.
ARTrageous will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at the Elkhorn Springs Supper Club in Sun Valley. The evening will include dinner and a live and silent auction. The auction will feature a select number of 12-14 pieces of art ranging from modern masterpieces to local treasures. Artists represented at the sale include John Horjes, Alain Kleinman, Quim Bove, Dinah Cross, William Ingham, Paul Wolff and Melissa Graves.
"The money raised by the event will go to future development projects," said Griffith. "Housing is a big nut (expense) for people. It can cause people to have to leave the valley if anything happens to them financially."
Griffith said the live auction has a diverse collection of work.
"It's not all landscapes," she said. "There are modern pieces, sculpture, traditional works and contemporary pieces."
In addition, the silent auction will offer works for less than $1,000.
"If you are a real collector, there is a piece by Alain Kleinman, which has been contributed by a private donor," said Griffith. "It's rare to have a piece of his in the United States—you usually have to go to France to get his work."
Tickets cost $150. For details, call 726-4411. To view the on-line auction catalog, visit www.archbc.org.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
Courtesy photo
The head of international auctions at Christie’s, Hugh Edmeades, will conduct the live auction for the ARCH benefit ARTrageous.
