Local artists to participate in SharkByte Art exhibit
Saratoga artist featured
Most people have heard of a win-win situation, but what could define a situation as win-win-win? With SharkByte Art, that situation involves San Jose exhibiting the largest public art display in its history, hundreds of Bay Area artists earning both money and recognition, and dozens of Bay Area nonprofit organizations receiving some much-needed funding.
SharkByte Art, inspired by the whimsical Cows on Parade in Chicago and New York during 2000, runs Aug. 1 through Oct. 31 and consists of 100 6-foot-long fiberglass shark sculptures "swimming" around the streets, parks and fountains of downtown San Jose.
Now through July 21, Bay Area artists--including one Saratogan and several Los Gatans--are working on transforming the plain fiberglass fish into works of art, using paint, textiles, metals and other mediums.
All artists dressing up a shark earned that chance from sponsors--individuals and businesses--who were impressed by the artists' conceptual design plans shown, during a showcase in early June. As of last week, there were not yet 100 "conceptual sharks" sponsored, so there may still be sponsorship opportunities available.
Each sponsored artist earns $1,000 from the total sponsorship fees. Sometime in November, after the exhibit's closure, all sharks will be auctioned off, with 90 percent of proceeds going to local nonprofit organizations and arts programs.
Saratoga artist Akiko Nakaji has not yet had her conceptual design chosen by a sponsor, but she may yet become a participant in SharkByte Art, as may several Los Gatans waiting in the wings: Debbie Blessing, Lisa DeWilde, Jordan DeWilde and Karen Salinger.
Los Gatans Linda Spencer, Linda Toeniskoetter and Harry and Leslie Dill are all already preparing their fanciful fish. Spencer will have two sharks in the exhibit, which she has titled High-Tech Sport and Outside the Box. The Dills created a shark-themed Fundamental Currents.
For more information about the SharkByte Art exhibition, or about sponsoring a shark (options to buy a shark outright are also available), call 408.279.1775, or visit www.sharkbyteart.com on the Internet.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
