The celebration starts this Friday, April 15, with an opening reception to kick off Spring Sweep from 5 to 7pm in the Artists Association of Nantucket’s newest gallery space upstairs at 12 Straight Wharf.
This in-person Spring Sweep kickoff party will introduce the public on Nantucket to AAN’s annual Spring Sweep Online Auction from April 15 to 18. The “Bids & Bites” preview party will allow guests to view and bid on the in-person works via a QR code. Final bids on the online auction will be accepted until 4pm on Monday, April 18.
“The Sweep committee has been working for weeks on this year’s event, and we are thrilled to be able to kick off the curated online auction with an in-person component in our new seasonal space we’re calling the Big Gallery,” said AAN executive director Courtney Bridges. “Fifty percent of each Sweep purchase will go directly to the artist as commission, so it is a win-win for all so early in the year.”
“Hosting it at 12 Straight Wharf is a nod to our AAN history. It is so exciting to be back in the Thomas Macy Warehouse, where we first got our start in 1945, and we’re looking forward to holding a robust series of exhibitions throughout the year,” said AAN artistic director Robert Frazier. “We’re back on Straight Wharf after 33 years. Spring Sweep will start us off with a bang.”
“We are grateful that PPX Events will be providing the light bites for the April 15 kickoff party, and will be featuring a special punch they designed specifically for our event,” said AAN gallery director Peter J. Greenhalgh. “In this way we are still able to offer something colorful and festive, which has become a signature of our past Spring Sweep preview parties.”
For the third straight year, AAN is using 32auctions as the bidding platform, and the art selections include works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media, ceramics, and photography. Auction link: https://www.32auctions.com/SpringSweep2022
“As guests participate in the online auction, they will notice there is also a buy-it-now component—where pieces may be purchased outright—if for instance they found a favorite artist’s work, or didn’t have time to go back online.We are also pleased to add back the in-person atmosphere in our new Big Gallery, and delighted to offer this long-time spring tradition in a dynamic and engaging hybrid format,” added Frazier.
For further information on Spring Sweep, visit AAN’s new website www.nantucketarts.org