Gallery to raise funds for Habitat
The John Ross Palmer Art Gallery and Studio in the Heights will raise funds and awareness of Houston Habitat for Humanity, its charity of the year.
That means the gallery’s principal artist and staff will support the organization for the entire year, including hosting a special art unveiling in the charity’s honor.
The art gallery is hosting “Your Habitat,” an unveiling of original paintings and prints to help raise funds for the charity, which utilizes volunteers to build affordable housing. During the March 5 event, Palmer is dedicating 20 of original art sales and 50 percent of print sales to Houston Habitat for Humanity. He also is accepting commissioned work and will donate 10 percent of that work to the charity.
The “Your Habitat” art unveiling will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. at The John Palmer Art Gallery and Studio, located at 1218 Heights Boulevard. The public is invited to attend the free event. The dress is casual.
Completed work will be sold as-is off the wall. Palmer is in the process of completing the show pieces, which will be hung in the gallery to preview one week before the charity sale.
Palmer and his husband, Ryan Lindsay, who co-owns the gallery and studio, created the charity of the year program in 2011.
“As you may know, artists are inundated with requests for art donations,” Lindsay said. “During my first year with the business six years ago, we got over 100 requests. There were impersonal forms mailed to us asking us to give. It wasn’t right. So, we flipped the game. Now, we pick a Charity of the Year to support.”
The gallery’s support goes beyond an art donation, however.
“We give time, promotion, money, artwork and so much more as the nonprofit makes a request of us,” Lindsay said. “It develops an ongoing community relationship that cannot be achieved through piecemeal donations to art auctions across Houston every weekend.”
This is the first time the gallery and studio owners have selected the Houston Habitat for Humanity as its Charity of the Year beneficiary. The couple hope to raise at least $5,000 for Houston Habitat for Humanity. A check is to be presented to Houston Habitat for Humanity in October.
“We love to support a nonprofit that empowers people – just as Palmer empowers artists with his Escapist Mentorship Program [an applicant program Palmer created in 2010], Lindsay said.
Anyone interested in commissioning Palmer may call the gallery at 713861-6726 or email Lindsay at rayn@johnpalmerart.com.