Ellsworth to auction art to fund sculpture

ELLSWORTH – Art for art’s sake.

That’s exactly what’s on the auction block this weekend to benefit the purchase of a downtown sculpture. Ellsworth is one of six communities that will receive a piece of original artwork during this summer’s Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium. The event, which will bring in sculptors from Sweden, Japan, Poland, Germany and the United States, is funded through donations, but participating towns in Washington and Hancock counties have been asked to raise $5,000 each to defray costs.

To that end, dozens of local artists, artisans and merchants have donated their wares for a silent auction that will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Maine Grind.

“The good thing about an auction is it brings awareness to a lot of people,” said Karin Wilkes, a member of Ellsworth’s sculpture committee and the larger symposium board.

A number of well-known artists in the area are featured in the auction, including Robert Shetterly, Phil Barter, Phillip Frey, Sarah Brandon, Rebekah Raye and MaJo Keleshian. Glassblower Linda Perrin, potter Charles Grosjean and rug weaver Susanne Grosjean are among the artisans who have donated items. And local merchants have given a bicycle, furniture, even a $1,300 diamond from Pyramid Studios.

Wilkes hopes the auction will help build anticipation for the sculpture, which will be placed in a prominent downtown location.

“There’s a little bit of excitement, because we don’t even know what it’s going to look like,” Wilkes said.

The sculpture will be created over the course of several weeks, and local residents can visit the Schoodic Education and Research Center, on the site of the former naval base, to watch the work in progress.

“We have several pieces that speak about the history of this area,” said Wilkes who also owns Courthouse Gallery Fine Art in Ellsworth. “It’d be nice to have a contemporary piece of sculpture in town to reflect what’s going on today.”

Tickets cost $10 and are available at The Maine Grind, Pyramid Studios, H.C. Austin Furniture, Atlantic Art Glass or at the door. For information or a full list of participating artists, visit www.downtownellsworth.com. For information on the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium, visit www.schoodicsculpture.org.