Willow Glen artists Cheryl Isaacson, Lucy Liew, David Lippenberger, Mary Medrano, Tony Misch and Sara Mordecai may have the answer.

These six artists with homes or studios in Willow Glen are joining with more than 50 other artists to stage a Valentine Art Exhibition & Silent Auction on Feb. 12 in San Jose.

"Love & Chaos Revisited" is the title of the event organized and sponsored by Professional Artists Network (PAN).

"This is a valentine to the community and it's a valentine to the artists, as they get 100 percent of the sale price," says Bette Linderman, one of the organizers.

Many of the PAN artists have participated in other valentine auctions, most notably ones sponsored by the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art before it was discontinued. However, in other auctions, a portion of the sales went to the sponsors.

Both the artists and members of the arts community have missed the annual auctions, so PAN decided to sponsor its own. Each artist is paying a $20 entry fee, with that money going to pay for the rental of Alameda Artworks for the evening, hors d'oeuvres, drinks and music by the Carl Wakeland Trio, a local jazz band.

Each PAN artist is limited to one piece and may set a minimum opening bid.

There is no charge for the public to attend the auction and no charge for a bidding number. Successful bidders may take their artwork home with them that evening.

Pieces up for auction include two and three-dimensional paintings, ceramics, photography, sculpture and collages.

While some artists are creating valentines with red hearts and sweet sentiments, many more are making their own statements.

Mary Medrano used a 1917 advertisement as the starting point for her mixed media piece, "Every Woman."

Medrano says, "Our words and visuals have changed in regards to beauty, but the advertising messages to an even greater degree are about looks and beauty, who is or isn't attractive and who may or may not be able to obtain such 'beauty'."

Sara Mordecai's "From Here to the Moon" is a little more in keeping with traditional valentines, with a painting of the moon and the sun "courting with a backdrop of the universe night sky."

Mordecai says inspiration came in part from her mother's oft-repeated statement "that she loved us so much that her love would fill from here to the moon and back again, a thousand trillion times."

Interestingly, Mordecai purposely created a painting that "you can hang in any way," with no one top or bottom.

"Scientifically we know the sun and moon do hang out together in the same sky, though continents apart," she says. "My painting shows them together, balanced, giving birth to love."

Other artist like David Lippenberger created "Sunshine Squares", an acrylic paint and charcoal portrait of a man wearing pink heart sunglasses with a background of yellow and white squares.

Artist Lucy Liew drew on an ancient Chinese legend of two lovers forced apart and allowed to reunite on one special night of the year that she has titled "Stolen Bliss."

The group staged three shows in 2004 and the members hope that this valentine auction will be the first of many for 2005.

There are 56 artists listed on the invitations and posters, with additional ones expected to participate in the show.

Professional Artists Network's "Love & Chaos Revisited" valentine art exhibition and silent auction is Feb. 12 at Alameda Artworks, 1068 The Alameda, San Jose. The doors open at 5 p.m., with bidding from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The event is free to the public and there will be food, beverages and music by the Carl Wakeland Trio. The art pieces will be on display prior to the auction from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 8 through 11 and starting at noon on Feb. 12. Parking is available in two lots adjacent to the building and along The Alameda.