Tower Gallery presents 4th annual Attic Sale
The 4th annual Tower Gallery Attic Sale will return to Sanibel in just a couple of weeks, providing art enthusiasts and Tower supporters a rare opportunity to browse through and purchase work from some of the co-op’s award-winning collection of artists at significantly discounted prices.
After considering the success of Attic Sales past, the Tower group has decided to add a new component to their yearly event: an outdoor tent featuring live painting demonstrations by the Tower artists from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and even more discounted art for sale.
The Attic Sale started when Tower artist Susan Sadler suggested the concept four years ago. Charles Lister, another Tower artist, supported the idea and has been helping to organize the annual event ever since.
“It’s sort of a gift to our customers who live locally and support us. Almost everyone in the gallery has people who favor their work and will come back and buy things throughout the season,” Lister said, noting that he hopes the event will also attract and orient new people that are unfamiliar with the Tower. “October a time when there aren’t a lot of people on the island. But as people start coming back, they look forward to coming to the gallery and this event gives them incentive to get to us first.”
There will be artwork for sale both inside the gallery and in a tent in the parking lot, including sculpture, paintings, prints, raku, photography, jewelry and more.
“And the artwork is always superior,” Lister said, noting that much of the work that ends up in the Attic Sale comes from constantly recycling what’s on display at the Tower throughout the year.
“There could be that one piece that’s been in the gallery that someone has had their eye on for the past year and it might just happen to end up in the Attic Sale,” said Tower Gallery President JoAnne Bedient. “People enjoy prowling through bins and the framed pieces that aren’t hanging on the wall. It’s like going through your grandma’s attic. And, as artists, we love looking at other artists’ work and finding something we like — so people need to get there early!”
But providing quality art at lower prices doesn’t just benefit the community, Lister said, it also benefits the artists who can use the money from their Attic Sale profits to purchase frames and materials to create new works of art.
“In the long run, the Attic Sale is a way for all of the artists in the gallery to get involved. We’re a cooperative and we love this gallery,” Lister said.
Though the outdoor demonstrations will go from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Tower will continue the Attic Sale indoors until they close.
For more information about the Tower Gallery or the Attic Sale, call 282-0452 or go to www.towergallery-sanibel.com.
Tower Gallery is located at 751 Tarpon Bay Road on Sanibel.