Acquiring an original work of art by a big name for only $40 is what dreams are made of. But today, Feb. 12, at Bergamot Station, a few lucky souls will be pinching themselves as they learn that the creators of their recently acquired artwork are big names in the art, design and entertainment industries.
More than 200 pieces of postcard-sized original art will be available for sale at the Fourth Annual Itty Bitty Art Sale, presented by PS1 Pluralistic School, an independent school in Santa Monica. The creator of each piece of Itty Bitty art may be anyone with a passion or idea – a well-known artist or architect, a talented amateur, a Hollywood celebrity, professional designer or a student.
All postcards will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limit of five per person. The viewing begins at 10 a.m., with the sale starting at 11 a.m.
Think there must be a catch? There is. If you purchase an original piece of Itty Bitty art, it isn’t until after you have paid for it that you find out who the artist is. All of the artwork is unsigned on the front, so the identity of the artist remains a secret until the art is purchased.
PS1’s Itty Bitty Art Sale was started four years ago by Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, co-executive producer and co-creator of Disney’s animated television series “Phineas and Ferb,” and his wife, Bear. Over the years, crowds have gathered as early as 6 a.m. on the day of the sale in the hopes of acquiring their desired pieces.
“The Itty Bitty Art Sale allows anyone to add an original piece of art to their collection at an affordable price,” Swampy Marsh said. “For some, this will be the first piece of original art they will buy.”
Keep an eye on the website, www.ittybittyart.org, as art and the list of participating artists is added daily.
This year’s artists span from Los Angeles to New York and from Canada to London to Belgium and Austria. Current artists include Shelley Adler, MB Boissonnault, Clare Graham, Cameron Gray, José Lozano, Tom Lunquist, Robert Melendez, Robert Passantino, Klaus Rinke, and Christian Vincent as well as entertainment celebrities Phyllis Diller, Peri Gilpin, Jack McBrayer, Conan O’Brien, Stan Lee, and Octavia Spencer, Nia Vardalos and Dan Povenmire and many of the actors and artists from Disney’s “Phineas & Ferb.”
For more information on the Itty Bitty Art Sale, or to preview the artwork online, visit www.ittybittyart.org.
