Arts Alive banners coming down for auction

ENCINITAS — Thanks to the talent and creativity of 101 local artists, historic Coast Highway 101 has been ablaze with banners from La Costa Avenue in Leucadia to Cardiff-by-the-Sea. The banners come down May 15 and each of the original works of art will be auctioned off to the general public at 2 p.m. May 23 at the Cardiff Town Center Courtyard, San Elijo Road at Birmingham Drive.
The 101 Artists’ Colony, in conjunction with the Downtown Encinitas MainStreet Association, Cardiff 101 MainStreet and Leucadia 101 MainStreet Association, are program sponsors of the 11th annual Arts Alive banner program. Proceeds from the sale of banners will be split 50-50 between the artists and either the 101 Artists’ Colony, Cardiff 101 MainStreet, or Leucadia 101 MainStreet Association. Of note this year are the numerous artists who are donating their share of proceeds to benefit Haiti relief efforts and other charitable organizations.
The art will come down May 15 in the dark of the night. Danny Salzhandler, president of the 101 Artists’ Colony, is spearheading the take-down and clean-up of the banners.
“The highway dust and seagull droppings will be washed away by the artists at the Soft Spray Car Wash in the 700 block of Highway 101, Sunday morning, May 16,” Salzhandler said. “The banners will then be hung to dry in front of DEMA at 818 S. Coast Highway.”
Donna Butnik, one of the artists and organizers of the seven-mile art exhibit, looks forward to the washing and set-up of the banners for the live auction. “The artists have painted the banners and hung them for the public to enjoy. Now it’s time to take down the art and prepare it for final auction. This is a great community event supporting the arts in Encinitas and I love to participate.”
A free banner auction catalog may be downloaded at www.101artistscolony.com/PDF/AA2010.pdf. Silent bids may be made by phone to Downtown Encinitas Mainstreet Association at (760) 943-1950 through May 21, and in person just prior to the live auction May 23. By 10 a.m. May 23, all 101 banners will be on display at the Cardiff Town Center Courtyard. Auctioneer Rich Houk will start the live auction bidding at 2:30 p.m.
This year’s Arts Alive honors the memory of Alison Christler, a local Encinitas artist who previously participated in this program. For more information, contact Danny Salzhandler at (760) 944-6027.