When Lamar Arts became the sole tenant of the Barnesville Depot in 2004, the board members quickly realized that dues and small donations could not support the Gallery, said current president John Votaw. ’Under the guidance of the late Hayward Cox, Lamar Arts developed a series of fundraisers to support the operation of the Gallery and other artistic endeavors, including exhibits and the summer Kids Camp,’ Votaw added. The Gallery hosts six to eight art exhibits every year plus other programs supporting the arts. The two most successful events through the years have been in Derby Party on the first Saturday in May and the Silent Auction in late October. They continue each year, Votaw said. This year the Derby Party on May 2, 4-7 p.m. at Dolie McCarthy’s Antebellum Oaks on Greenwood Street, will again be the host location for the Plein Air artists who participate in that project. Their work is judged at the party and prizes awarded, with additional opportunities to purchase the works, said Votaw. Derby Party tickets are $25 and may be purchased from Lamar Arts members, DB’s Pizzeria and the chamber of commerce. At the door tickets are $30. ’En plein air’ painting, using outdoor natural light, became important to artists in the mid-19th century; advocates of the method included such notables as Claude Monet, Camille Pissaro and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. For more information on these opportunities for fun and art appreciation, call 770-358-5888 and leave a message; call Votaw at 770-468-0288, or go to lamararts.org.
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