Painting by local artist Alix Travis. One of several dozen items donated by local artists and craftspeople via the Catskill Mountain Artisans' Guild for a raffle to raise funds for flood relief.
It all started with a quilt. On September 4, with Margaretville still clogged with debris from Tropical Storm Irene and the National Guard still stationed in front of their Main Street storefront, the Catskill Mountain Artisans Guild decided to pitch in for flood relief. Guild member Claire Herz donated a quilt, and the Guild began selling $10 raffle tickets on Main Street.
Before long, the fundraiser took on a life of its own. Dozens of artworks were donated by Guild members, and jeweler Barbara Petrini built an online gallery to showcase the pieces and sell raffle tickets online.
This weekend, the Artisans Guild is preparing to raffle off dozens of donated pieces from its member artists and craftspeople, with the proceeds going to local flood relief via the MARK Project.
The drawing will be held the afternoon of Saturday, November 5 -- so if you're thinking of buying a raffle ticket (or ten), visit the raffle website or stop by the Guild's storefront on Main Street in Margaretville soon.
