300 PLATES at Art Access 2019

It's that time of year again:
  

2019  Art Access 300 Plates Fundraiser

Above:  "Guardian"

Above:  "Tell me..."

2018 - did not participate


 2017

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2015







































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2013

What is 300 Plates?

300 Plates is the annual Art Access fundraiser and exhibition. Now in its 17th year, this signature event presents unique artwork that is both affordable and highly collectible, created by approximately 100 established and emerging artists from the local community. Using 11 x 10 inch plates (either aluminum, tempered panel or plexiglas), each artist prepares small works in their recognizable style. Finished plates include everything from landscape to assemblage to pop art to photographic emulsion and more. During the fundraiser and month-long exhibition the plates are hung in the Art Access Gallery, creating a kaleidoscope of one-of-a-kind artwork. This year a small selection of plates from previous years will also be on sale.

History of 300 Plates

by Joe Ostraff

The story of the 300 Plates Fundraiser begins in Thailand in the summer of 1993. My family and I were the invited guests of a family living in Cha-am, Thailand. As part of our weekly activities, we would visit one of the many Buddhist Wat (monasteries) found in almost every community. On one such visit, a monk approached me and gave me a packet of photos of King Rama V. He blessed me and promised that if I incorporated the images in my art I would bring about good fortune. I held on to the images for many years, waiting for an appropriate time to use them.
In fall of 1998, I was driving home from a field trip with BYU art students. John Ohran was among the group. He and I got into a discussion about art ideas and he shared his interest in a project that Ed Kienholz (an internationally acclaimed installation artist) had completed, numbering prints one through one thousand and selling them for the corresponding number. It seemed to me a critical statement on the commodification of art, and John and I wondered if we could give the idea a positive twist.
During the conversation, I mentioned my Thai experience and one thing lead to another. Hence, John and I had a two-person exhibition at Art Access in 1999 entitled Restoration of Good Fortune: One Through Three Hundred and Fifty, with the prices matching the numbered art. Images of King Rama V as king, military leader, and father found their way into all the mixed media paintings on aluminum plates, and the sale proceeds were divided between Art Access and the Sudanese Refugee Fund.
In 2002, Art Access was looking to diversify its funding base since the majority of the organization's funds came from a single source. I was a board member at the time and suggested that we try a fundraiser using progressive pricing, and that we invite multiple artists to participate. It was very successful, and I feel that the Thai monk's blessing continues to be realized each year through the 300 Plates fundraiser.

How can you participate?

Plate previews are held during the week prior to the event to provide art lovers and potential buyers with a sneak peak of the artwork. On the evening of the event during the preview hours, culinary delights, beverages and music are enjoyed in the outdoor tent, and each patron is issued one colored wristband in anticipation of the sale. Beginning at 7:00, and every few minutes thereafter, a random color is announced until all wristband colors have been called. Those patrons are invited to enter the gallery and purchase one plate each. Plate prices start at $75 and increase sequentially in one-dollar increments. This year, approximately 20 plates will be set aside for a blind silent auction, selling from $300 – the sky's the limit. Also, for the the first time, for a $5 donation, attendees will have the opportunity to obtain tickets for a drawing for three framed plates. Plates that do not sell on the night of the event may be purchased at Art Access during regular business hours throughout the exhibition.

Who benefits?

Art Access provides accessible and inclusive arts and cultural opportunities to many people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate, as well as equal opportunity for established and emerging artists with and without disabilities in a nurturing and supportive environment. Funds from the annual 300 Plates fundraiser and exhibition allow Art Access to offer programming throughout the year, including: education and engagement with art to special needs children and others in Utah schools; the elderly and other institutionalized individuals or those participating in community social services programs; teens with disabilities, those who are at-risk or are otherwise underserved, and young people in the mainstream; youth and adults living in rural areas of the state; emerging and established artists with and without disabilities; and the community at large. Over the years Art Access has demonstrated that its philosophy and programs are successful in uniting and strengthening the community through art.

Participating 2019 Artists TBA