It seems as though the Mirror Lake renovations are never ending, but even private clubs are reaching out to help make sure that area of campus looks its best when completed.
The Ohio State University Faculty Club is holding its 14th annual art auction on Friday, which will take place at the club’s building between Mirror Lake and Orton Hall. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the renovations of Mirror Lake, including the club’s own Mirror Lake terrace.
“We are trying to help fund our restoration of our Mirror Lake terrace in conjunction with the renovations and restoration of Mirror Lake itself,” said Jeffrey White, executive director of the club. “That’s kind of the piece of the puzzle this year. We’re hoping to continue to raise funds as per usual to upgrade and maintain our facility here.”
White said the idea of an annual art auction came from the associate vice provost at the time, Tom Minnick. White said Minnick was deeply involved in the art programs taking place within the Faculty Club and thought it would be a good way to raise money to help maintain the parts of the Club building that the university does not take care of.
Despite having a vast collection of its own at the Faculty Club, all of the works for the auction are donated from local artists, galleries and members. Lisa Craig Morton, the club’s current art curator, said there are about 100 pieces of art in this year’s auction, all coming from different people and places.
“The thing that’s neat about the art auction is that we get new works and paintings from current contemporary artists who are living here in the community, but we also get vintage and antique and historic pieces that are donated by collectors and members of the Club,” Morton said.
Friday’s event will include both a silent auction and a live auction. Morton said attendees can spend the first hour and a half silently bidding and previewing the pieces that will be up for the live auction simultaneously. Morton said items are typically valued at under $100.
White said he doesn’t think anyone realizes the amount of artwork contained from building to building on campus, and he wants this annual art auction to bring light to the interesting art scene that resides within Columbus.
“I think that not only this auction, but the Club’s art program brings people to campus that wouldn’t necessarily be here, he said. “And I think that just opens the doors to just really seeing and showing off what Columbus, the city, has to offer and what the Ohio State University has to offer. In some small way, I’m hopeful that the Faculty Club plays a role in that, in just creating an awareness of the art scene in the city of Columbus.”
The Ohio State University Faculty Club’s 14th annual art auction will take place in the main dining room of the Faculty Club building. It is free and open to the public and starts at 6 p.m. Friday.
