Crane art combines artists, patrons and community
KEARNEY — More than 300 people gathered Saturday at the Museum of Nebraska Art to attend the Cranes on Parade 3 art auction.
Presented by Kearney Dawn Rotary, the auction featured 14 full-sized crane sculptures along with 13 smaller study cranes and other assorted crane-influenced artwork by regional artists. Susan Bigg, the co-chair for the event, said the amount of money raised during the auction will be released in about a week.
“We raised a lot of money for the selected charities,” she said. “And we had a good turnout of artists.”
The project supplied 6-foot-tall fiberglass sculptures, designed by Kearney artist Martha Pettigrew, to artists who finished each crane sculpture by painting or drawing or even adding elements such as coins. Bigg noted that the project accomplished more goals than merely raising money.
“Cranes on Parade 3 brought public art, once again, to the community,” she said.
The original project started in 2004, followed by Cranes on Parade 2 in 2010. Members of the Kearney Dawn Rotary Club designed the projects to bring collaboration among volunteers, artists, benefactors, and patrons.
“We had a nice variety of artwork and a wide range of selling prices,” Bigg said. “We need all the right people — artists, sponsors, and patrons — to come together at all the right times to be successful. It was a lot of work, but it was very good overall.”
Story by- Rick Brown for Kearney Hub
