The Confluence of Art and Charity

Rallying around a cause and working to solve it has long been a part of the arts community. The better known attempts included festivals like Live Aid, Farm Aid, George Harrison’s Concert for Bangledesh or Sally Struthers attempting to feed the children with donations (and yes, All in the Family is in fact art). One can even search the New York Times for instances dating back to the ‘20s of artists selling their work to help others. Today in Chicago, though, there are still those working for the betterment of society.

Started in 2007, the Brush Project takes a novel approach to raising funds for non-profit organizations. In lieu of selling or auctioning off the work of a painter, a more personal object is being levied to assist those in need. Brushes from some of the country’s better known, young and cartoon inspired artists are proffered for sale. Assembled around this year’s Brush Project are Travis Lampe, Jeff Soto and Colin Johnson among a number of other benefactors.

Displayed at the Rotofugi Gallery (1953 W. Chicago Ave.) and curated by David van Alphen, the art space used the recent opening of “My Kind of Town,” a Chicago artist group show encompassing a variety of styles and approaches to painting and print making, to feature the newly donated brushes. Collected against a wall of the gallery are a series of no less than twenty paint-brushes varying in size, shape and degree of use. Each brush is used, splattered with paint. They all don a tag, with a scribbled autograph and even occasionally a doddle from the artist. The brushes rest upon red velvet backings and are encased inside of clear acrylic boxes.

The money that Rotofugi and the Brush Project collect through the sale of these brushes will be donated to Gigi’s Playhouse, a national non-profit agency devoted to helping children with Down’s syndrome. Gigi’s began as an organization based in Cook County, but has now spread throughout the Midwest. The non-profit is currently at work opening centers on the west coast as well, according its website.

During times of economic uncertainty, some will speculate as to why a gallery chooses to work in concert with a non-profit organization. Thos cynics will figure that it’s all just be for the resulting positive press that Rotofugi will garner. “I don’t do it for the impact [on business],” begins van Alphren. He simply wants people to know that he and Rotofugi are doing its “part in helping those in need.”

The change in charity is a curious one, though. In past years the Brush Project has raised money for Americans for the Arts, an organization that purchases art supplies for those that wouldn’t otherwise have them. “My son was born with Down syndrome,” says van Alphen while explaining why he became involved with Gigi’s Playhouse. “Each year I do it [the Brush Project], I’ll pick a different charity,” the stay-at-home dad concludes.

Subsequent to the opening of “My Kind of Town,” the brushes are up for auction on eBay through October 7th.