St. Peter’s Episcopal Church plans annual fundraiser for Saturday

Pansy Westrich, left, co-chairwoman with Marianne Welch of the Art, Pray, Love fundraiser at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Conway, meets with four of the artists who will take part in the art show and sale Saturday. The artists include Jeanetta Darley, second from left, with her drawings and paintings depicting an agrarian theme; Susan Peterson, with two collages and a piece of raku pottery; Don Byram, with his photograph of a stained-glass window printed on canvas; and Dema Clark, with her photograph of a lotus blossom.
Pansy Westrich, left, co-chairwoman with Marianne Welch of the Art, Pray, Love fundraiser at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Conway, meets with four of the artists who will take part in the art show and sale Saturday. The artists include Jeanetta Darley, second from left, with her drawings and paintings depicting an agrarian theme; Susan Peterson, with two collages and a piece of raku pottery; Don Byram, with his photograph of a stained-glass window printed on canvas; and Dema Clark, with her photograph of a lotus blossom.

CONWAY — Organizers of the annual Art, Pray, Love fundraiser at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Conway try to “tweak” the event each year by offering something new to its patrons. This year’s event, which is set for 6:30-9 p.m. Saturday, will feature an expanded Guatemalan market.

Proceeds from the event — featuring not only the Guatemalan market but also food and beverages, an art show and sale, a silent auction and a wine pull — will benefit a medical mission trip to Guatemala in April.

“We will have a lot more textiles … hand-woven items … this year,” said Marianne Welch, who helped organize the first mission trip to the Central American country in 2010. Welch is co-chairwoman of the planning committee this year, along with Pansy Westrich of Conway.

“We will also have wonderful Guatemalan chocolate and coffee, … all for sale,” Welch said.

“The mission trip is set for April 22-30,” Welch said. “We are going back to the same community as in years past. We find it easier to go to the same place so we can track the patients from year to year.

“This year, with the help of Dr. Doug Stroud, who is an ear, nose and throat specialist, we hope to expand our ENT surgeries and serve more children. We saw a little boy last year who had surgery for a cleft palate, and we are all anxious to see him this year.”

Welch said 25 people are scheduled to go on the mission trip. Welch, who is the clinical laboratory director at Conway Regional Medical Center, will be among those going.

“We have found this fundraiser works well for us and for the artists who participate,” Welch said. “We provide a venue for the artists to help them do what they do, and they, in turn, help us by donating art and/or a part of what they make if they sell their art during this event.”

Marilyn Rishkofski is in charge of this year’s art show and sale.

“We have approximately 20 artists who will be participating this year,” said Rishkofski, who served as a co-chairwoman of last year’s event, along with Welch. Rishkofski is an artist and the owner of Art Experience Inc. in Conway; she is also co-president with Virginia Potter of the Conway League of Artists.

“We have several new artists this year, including George Hoelzeman of Hattieville, who is a liturgical artist,” Rishkofski said. “As a member of St. Peter’s, liturgical art is of special interest to me.

“George will be speaking Monday night at our Meet the Artists Dinner at the church. I am anxious to hear him.”

Don Byram of Conway is also among the first-time artists to participate in Art, Pray, Love.

“It’s for a good cause,” Byram said. “I just moved back to Conway, but I grew up here. My dad, Hillman Byram, was pastor at Wesley United Methodist Church during the ’60s.

“I do photography. One of the pieces I’m showing is a stained-glass window that is a gallery wrap on canvas.”

Dema Clark of Conway is also a first-time participant in the event.

“I appreciate the opportunity to be able to share my work,” she said, “and it’s for a good cause.”

Clark, who describes herself as a “mood artist,” will show photography, as well as work in watercolor and acrylics.

Jeanetta Darley of Conway has participated in Art, Pray, Love in the past. She will have samples of drawings and paintings that show an agrarian theme.

Susan Peterson of Conway said she has participated in the art show before.

“I am bringing some raku pottery, some collages and a painting I have done in

acrylics,” Peterson said.

Additional artists participating in the art show and sale will include Leslie Collier, Rita Mackintosh, Virginia Potter, Katie Wilson, Sheila Parsons and Lois Giorgis, all of Conway; Coe Wilson of Morrilton; Meikel S. (Michael) Church of Little Rock; and Brandon J. Hudson of Springdale.

“Several of the participating artists have been to Guatemala before, and they have told me it means a lot to them to be able to participate in a fundraiser that will benefit that country,” Rishkofski said. “That’s exciting for me to hear that.”

A silent auction will also take place during the evening featuring gift certificates for restaurants and services, as well as decorative items.

A wine pull will be on the agenda as well; separate tickets for this activity may be purchased at the event — one ticket for $5 or five for $20.

Tickets for Art, Pray, Love, at $30 per person or $50 per couple, are available during regular business hours at the church office, 925 Mitchell St. in Conway. Call (501) 329-8174 for more information.

Information is also available on the blog artpraylovearkansas.wordpress.com.

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