After such a successful fundraiser in 2023, the Tiger Eye Art Group has again donated dozens of works to raise much-needed funds for the Mount Evelyn CFA.
The participants have donated more than 50 artworks of all kinds to be shown and sold at the Mt Evelyn Street Party on Sunday 26 October.
Art teacher Dave Monks said the CFA volunteers play such a valuable role in the community.
“When we need them, we really need them,” he said.
“We realised the CFA are really struggling for money, and they do incredible things. They do a car wash in their own time, they’re up there at weekends. They’re doing incredible work, and they’ve got little funding.”
Putting it to the art group in 2023, Dave said everyone jumped at the opportunity to support the cause, raising an incredible total of over $6000.
Again this year, Dave said everyone was eager to be involved, with many people donating multiple artworks.
“Some people have donated half a dozen paintings. Everybody’s put in at least one. A lot of them have worked on them specifically for the CFA show, so they worked for four to six weeks on the painting and then donated it,” he said.
“For a lot of people, it’ll be the first painting they’ve ever sold. For some people, it’s their first-ever painting, and they’re donating it. So it’s pretty special.”
Many started as beginners, joining the art group to learn the basics from Dave, and now they are artists in their own right.
“It’s not amateur art; this is the real deal. This is what you’d see in galleries. It’s not art class stuff. It’s way beyond that,” Dave said.
A broad selection of artworks, ranging from sketches to watercolour, painted by artists of all backgrounds and skill levels, will be available for bidding at the Mt Evelyn Street Party.
The highest bid on the day will win the artwork, with the last bids closing at 4pm.
Located in the centre of town for this year’s Street Party, at the Mt Evelyn Community Rooms, Dave said it will hopefully encourage lots of people to stop by and place a bid.
Many of the artists will also be attending throughout the day and can share part of their story to give insight into both the artwork and their painting journey.
“It’s a cool group of people we’ve got, all the right people have come in, and no one’s questioned donating a painting. No one’s even thought about hanging on to the works. They’ve just said ‘of course, we’ll do it’.
“It’s just part of what we do. They’re really generous people, they’re just an amazing group.”
Dave said he was incredibly proud of the group, their willingness to support the community and the skill and talent they are putting on show.
“The group are so excited. Everybody’s talking about it; they’re really pumped because last time we did it, it was just spectacular,” he said.
“It’s one of those win-wins, because the group members get to sell a painting, they get to know that their art’s going to hang in someone’s house, and they’re going to love it. The CFA get some money, it’s just a win for everybody.”
