freshART as fresh as ever after 25 years

Artist Joan Miley, who has participated in freshART for 25 years

Twenty-five was the magic number for Behringer-Crawford Museum’s annual freshART gala and auction.

The event began 25 years ago to raise funds for the Covington museum’s youth education programs. More than 25 local artists had 25 hours to create original works for the auction. And 250 guests filled Drees Pavilion in Devou Park to art-gaze, graze, bid and buy.

Three artists received Patricia and William Applegarth Artists Excellence Awards for their work. They were Mike DeMaria, first place; Kelly Burichin, second; and Linda Lee Whaley, third.

Awards judges were Cynthia Kukla, Alan O’Bryan and Amy Kennedy-Moore.

In addition to the artists who created art in Devou Park that weekend, more than 30 others contributed previously completed works to the silentART auction.

Several people were recognized for their long-standing support of freshART: artists Joan Miley and Paula Risch Head, who participated all 25 years; “supporter extraordinaire” Dennis Williams of Adams, Stepner, Woltermann and Dusing, for supporting the event all 25 years; and “patron extraordinaire” Rick Sacksteder, who has attended and purchased art at every freshART auction.

John Lomax, Local 12 news anchor, was emcee. Since freshART began in 1992, more than $500,000 has been raised, providing educational and cultural activities for nearly a quarter-million children.