Submitted photoRainbow Trout by Keith Everett

An upcoming fundraiser for local arts will combine the talents of two top arts organizations to create an evening of fun and gourmet dining.

Art for Meridian is the brainchild of the Meridian Council for the Arts and the Meridian Museum of Art. Set for Saturday at Northwood Country Club, the event features a live auction, a silent auction and a gourmet dinner “designed to please the most sophisticated palate,” Chair Kris Gianakos said.

“Not only is this event fun and entertaining,” Gianakos said, “but each dollar of profit goes to enhancing local arts education, grants and arts programs — so attending Art for Meridian can help you make a positive impact on our community.”

The live auction will feature significant works of art by local and regional artists and will be conducted by noted auctioneer Dustin Cheatham. A graduate of Mississippi State University, Cheatham is a licensed auctioneer with Head Auctions out of Flora.

Artists for the live auction include Tim Allred, Jennifer Avera-Lott, Charlie Busler, Keith Everett, Karen Rush, Peyton Hutchinson and Marsha Iverson. Special to the live auction this year are works from current or former students in area schools, plus the auction of a personal “pet” portrait by Iverson.

Prior to the dinner will be the silent auction, which will showcase more works of art and items donated by sponsors.

Both the live auction and the silent auction are filled with items for purchase to fit any budget and personal taste, Gianakos said.

Following are brief bios of artists featured in the live auction:

Tim Allred

Tim began painting as a hobby and enjoys experimenting with many different techniques. Tim says of his painting, “We often search for the light in life – to bring peace amidst the chaos. It often appears at the end of stormy weather when we least expect it; perhaps an unusual glow – the peace of God – strength in the calm. We see clearly before the light is gone.”

Tim has exhibited at the Meridian Museum of Art’s People Choice Competition and the MMA membership exhibit. The owner of Heritage Building Corporation, he is married to Linda Allred.

Jennifer Avera-Lott

Jennifer, a local dentist, began painting about nine years ago and pursued her love for art by taking lessons from Meridian artist, Greg Cartmell. Her work demonstrates a passion for capturing rich colors, shapes and shadows. She and her husband reside in Meridian.

Bewey Bowden

For 27 years, Bewey chaired the Department of Speech and Drama at Belhaven College. There, she began to notice the same principles of using color to create mood on stage could be applied to painting on canvas. As her interest grew, she tried several mediums, finally setting on painting with oils. Her work has been chosen for major charity live auctions.

“I never tire of experimenting and I love it all,” Bewey said. “I see more and feel more since I started painting. I never forget or cease to be grateful that my gift comes from God and that people love and buy my work.”

Charlie Busler

Charlie painted his first oil on a piece of plywood fragment from a discarded pile of lumber. Having just received his first set of oil paints, he was extremely eager to paint something. Now, he continues to be a practitioner of art.

“My work is a leap of imagination, a departure from the reality of the environment,” Charlie said. “Glorifying the natural world of its Eden, my paintings are void of human presence. Water and sky meet in light defined as a spectrum.” Brown’s Fine Art of Jackson currently represents Charlie.

Keith Everett

Keith has painted, primarily in watercolor, for more than 40 years. In recent years, he has experimented with other mediums such as in the artwork featured in the auction, “Rainbow Trout.” The painting, with watercolor and acrylic on aqua board, features contrasting media, colors and textures in the same painting.

Keith is board certified in ophthalmology and maintains a practice in Meridian. He remains community minded and has participated in the “Around Town Carousels Abound,” with his horse is proudly displayed at Meridian Coca-Cola Bottling Company.

Peyton L. Hutchinson

From azaleas in her native Mississippi to sunflower fields in the south of France, Peyton Hutchinson finds her inspiration in nature. After studying at the Rhode Island School of Design and graduating from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting, Peyton makes her home in Ridgeland.

Peyton realized her love for painting natural landscapes while studying abroad at the Marchutz School of Art in Aix en Provence, France. Although she enjoys painting still-lifes, her experience in Europe remains a prevalent theme throughout her paintings today.

Peyton said she chooses her subject matter from everyday life, and from reference photos of places that inspire her. From the time her sixth-grade art teacher recognized her talent, she has pursued her dream of becoming a painter. She has continued to study a wide array of techniques from realism under the tutelage of famed Mississippi artist Bob Tompkins to impressionism with Italian painter Jerry Fresia.

Today, Peyton’s work is displayed through solo exhibitions and fine art galleries in Southeastern United States as well as fine art shows throughout the country. Art is a passion for Peyton, and she said she feels blessed to pursue it every day as her profession.

Marsha Iverson

Marsha Iverson grew up in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, where the arts and the soil are rich. She loves capturing the sunlight in a landscape setting, whether it be early morning or late afternoon. Nature is her greatest inspiration for any of her artwork., whether it be in a landscape or in a four-legged family member. She has been a visual arts teacher for 25-plus years and has spent the last 20 years teaching in the Meridian Public School District and at Meridian Museum of Art. 

Marsha was a Disney American Teacher nominee, the Thad Cochran Distinguished Arts Educator Award for Mississippi in 2001 and was named Arts Educator of the Year by the Meridian Council for the Arts. In 2008, she was selected as the Volunteer of the Year for the Meridian Museum of Art. Most recently, the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education recognized her for Exemplary Arts Service for an individual and she has been named the 2016-17 Meridian High School “Teacher of the Year.”

Lucy Mazzaferro

A self-taught artist, Lucy began painting a young age and by 1995, she began to take her art seriously. She is most known for her still-life paintings, where she conveys beauty and inner glow through color changes and dramatic light.

“I feel that painting is my way of seeing and understanding the beauty of the world around me,” Lucy said.

Karen Rush

Karen began pursuing her love and passion for art by taking lessons from Meridian artist, Greg Cartmell. She has also studied with Cooper M. French and Peyton L. Hutchinson. Her paintings are “knowing reflection of the creator of all beautiful things,” she said.

Karen’s work is in many private collections throughout the South and can be seen at Interiors Market in Jackson.

About the sponsors

The Meridian Council for Arts was designated the local arts agency for Meridian and Lauderdale County by the Meridian City Council and the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors in 1978. The Council serves more than 150,000 people a year through its Community Art Grants Program, the annual Threefoot Festival, workshops and other special events. Major sources of financial support include the Mississippi Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Meridian, Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors, the Threefoot Festival and special fundraisers like Art for Meridian. Find out more at artsmeridian.org.

The Meridian Museum of Art is a true community museum, serving and involving everyone who desires to participate in the visual arts. MMA is successful in hosting programs and events that foster a spirit of cooperation within the community, benefiting both youth and adults. The museum hosts regional exhibits, offers many classes and workshops and other programs. For more information, go to meridianmuseum.org.