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Dahlia: Art for AIDS auction a fundraising masterpiece

Dahlia Jean Weinstein, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 11, 2006 at midnight

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Whether the pieces were made of glass or clay, painted or photographed, drawn or mixed media, there was something for everyone among the artwork displayed at the 19th annual Art for AIDS Fine and Decorative Art Auction, which generated $105,000 for the Colorado AIDS Project.

More than 650 art lovers showed up at the Seawell Ballroom in the Denver Performing Arts Complex to support CAP and participate in the stellar art auction presented by Whole Foods Market.

Creative and generous supporters of CAP founded the unique art auction in 1986, when it featured 16 auction items and 50 attendees. Since then, it's become one of the premier art sales and fundraisers, featuring hundreds of pieces of art and raising nearly $1.4 million to help CAP improve lives affected by HIV and AIDS and to support programs to prevent HIV infection.

This year's auction featured more than 350 pieces of art from professional and emerging artists and even included a signed lithograph by Pablo Picasso.

Local curators Julie Fryberger, of Fryberger Art Consulting, and Cydney Payton, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver, selected the art.

Among the featured artists were Gary Steffen, an exhibitor at Abend Gallery Fine Art in Denver, who contributed six paintings; Lee Lee, who offered Mourn, a painting featuring a Hindu funeral ritual inspired by a recent trip to India; Rebecca Di Domenico, whose work was originally created for MCA/Denver's annual fundraiser, the Shoe Ball; and Steve Kaufman, who worked as Andy Warhol's assistant in 1978 cutting film for canvas screening. Kaufman also worked for both Marvel and DC comics and did graphics for Saturday Night Live.

Other contributing artists and artwork included Martha Daniels, Sasha, Jerry Patterson, Karen White and TUKE jewelry.

CAP picked contributing artist Jeanne Griffin as the 2006 Art for AIDS Emerging Artist.

Award-winning photographer David Mejias donated his work. So did members of the Gay Photographers Guild, which included Davol Tedder, Kasthleen Taylor, Jim Austin, Frank Merrem, Margot Plummer, Loretta Warren, Steve Meether and Rich Mahnke.

After all the art-auction action, CAP Executive Director Deirdre Maloney joined auctioneer Gary Corbett onstage for an appeal to support CAP's education and outreach efforts.

"Despite amazing advances in drug therapy, 25 years after the first diagnoses of AIDS we have not defeated the disease. There is still stigma, people are still dying and new infections happen every day," said Maloney.

"Why? Because AIDS is not discussed as it once was. AIDS is not taken as seriously as it once was. AIDS is not in the social consciousness as it once was. Without a cure, our best weapon is education."

In 2005, CAP served more than 1,800 clients living with HIV and AIDS.

On average, 200 new clients come through CAP's doors every year, with the largest increase being among women and people younger than 35.

In addition to serving those already living with HIV and AIDS, CAP reaches out to thousands of youths with education about preventing new HIV infections.

The next CAP fundraiser is the fifth annual Red Ribbon Golf Tournament, to be held July 29 at Arrowhead Golf Course.

For more information about the tournament or Art for AIDS 2007, call CAP, 303-837-0166, or visit .

Dahlia Jean Weinstein is the society writer. or 303-892-2882