The Venice Family Clinic held its 35th annual Art Walk auction at Google’s offices in Venice last Sunday.  The event is a large silent auction of fine art combined with studio tours and architectural tours in and around Venice.  The actual event on Sunday features over 300 works of art for sale, live entertainment and a street full of food trucks for patrons to choose from.

Approaching the event – Sign in tables

Venice Family Clinic is one of the largest free medical clinics in the country with 10 facilities serving Venice, Santa Monica and surrounding communities on the west side of Los Angeles.  Their annual Art Walk is their 2nd largest fundraiser, contributing over $600,000 to their annual operating fund.

For the last three years, the Art Walk has been held at Google’s Venice offices in the famed “Binocular Office Building” that was originally the home of the Chait Day advertising agency.

Google’s Binocular Office Building

Works of art are on display in two areas of Google’s offices, an entry corridor and a large hall with sculpture on display in an outside area near the performance area.

Large crowds mill through the exhibit, placing their bids on forms posted next to each work.  The Art Walk is free for the public to attend and each guest is given their own unique bidding number upon entering the event.

My wife Jodie has worked at the event for the last 15 years or so and her cousin Kimberle King has assisted for the last 5 years or more.

Jodie with friend and fellow collector Fala Powers

Kimberle King happily at work

The event included live entertainment from 6 or 7 bands during the course of the day.  Two bands, featured here wound up the festivities at the end of the day.

Little Galaxies

Alexandra and The Starlight Band

Some sculpture among the music

I think this was part of the sale

The audience featured fans young and old who enjoyed the music and the delightful pre-summer afternoon, which was a huge relief after scorching 110+ days earlier in the week.

An outside patio adjacent to the musical entertainment area offered guest a place to sit and enjoy beer and wine or maybe even a game of lawn chess.

Food trucks were located along the street behind the offices where patrons could grab a bite to eat from a wide variety of different styles of cuisine.

At the end of the auction, when all the patrons were ushered out of the building so the sales could be tabulated, they were greeted with a bevy of sweets to help them bide their time.

Finally, to end the event, patrons paid for their art purchases, had it wrapped up if desired and out the door.  A very successful day!

For more information, refer to the following links below.

Venice Family Clinic Art Walk: http://theveniceartwalk.org/

Venice Family Clinic: http://www.venicefamilyclinic.org/

A gallery of photos from the event: http://www.jimrea.com/zenphoto/VFC_Artwalk_2014