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Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Artists Supporting Pride — Rainbow Spirits’ raised thousands for Pride events and programs

Cesar Evans glanced at the silent auction bid sheet in front of his light red and blue painted mannequin titled “Indivisible.”

Paint smears and lines forming abstract symbols and shapes started from the neck, wrapped around the torso and curved down the legs. Inspiration for his pieces came from his love of painting robots and desire to portray human emotions and predicaments.

He was surprised to see three bids on his mannequin rise to $70 only minutes after the auction began.

Saturday marked the inaugural “Artists Supporting Pride — Rainbow Spirits,” where local artists like Evans transformed 25 Macy’s mannequins, called Rainbow Spirits, into artwork. It was hosted by the Pride Community Center.

More than 100 Gainesville community members attended, and all but three mannequins sold, event co-organizer Tom Miller said.

The actual amount raised for the Pride Community Center will not be known until Tuesday, but Miller said at least a couple thousand dollars were raised. The money will help fund the center’s health programs and October 20 Pride parade downtown.

“It was just such a good feeling (seeing) a good-spirited community coming together,” Miller said. “Everybody came just ready to be powerful.”

The art show displayed full-body mannequins around the room’s perimeter with smaller ones hanging on the wall. Some had only painted torsos, and some only a waist and legs.

Each mannequin had a silent auction sheet in front of it with a place for bidders to write their name and a dollar amount. The minimum bid was $50.

Pamphlets including photos of each mannequin alongside their artist’s biography were available for a $10 donation, which went to shampoo, laundry detergent and toiletries for Gainesville residents with HIV/AIDS.

The center’s volunteers served food, wine and beer while artists mingled with friends, family and community members. Janet Krews, creator of “JET - Janet’s Evil Twin,” stood out beside her mannequin with silver sparkly lipstick and rainbow colored hair-pieces.

“She’s got a bunch of nooks and crannies,” Krews said laughingly about her Rainbow Spirit.

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Krews transformed the stomach into a door with lights and knickknacks inside, and a small wire bird cage with a red heart inside popped out of the chest. Small army men clung to her legs, thighs and hips.

Evans, who had two pieces at the silent auction, said he felt honored to be asked to participate.

“I think what really inspires me is seeing so many different artists have different interpretations with the same basic form,” Evans said about finally seeing the pieces revealed. “I feel like it’s the perfect metaphor for what the art show is about. We’re all human, but we’re all so different.”

Follow Angela DiMichele on Twitter @angdimi and contact her at adimichele@alligator.org.

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