Need Suggestions For Giving Away My Parent's Art

Gregory, I think you already have one of the best ideas. You can never go wrong giving to charity. Also, did you consider a garage/yard sale?

Take care,
Lori

Is this original art by your parents? Or stuff they bought?

It's original art by my parents.

Few charities are equipped for this sort of donation. How would you identify such? I suppose American Cancer Society my have a diverse enough program to support this. Since both of my parents died of cancer, perhaps that suggests a suitable organization. I might rather support the disenfranchised, but certainly the way health care works, that would include many with cancer...

I can't fathom giving away work done by my family. Do you have brothers, sisters, kids, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, even friends of them who would want it? This is more than just art; it was done by your parents. Hopefully my kids won't just give my stuff away. "Yeah, that's my dad;s crap train shots. Let's toss them!" There has to be someone out there who would want some of the stuff that knew your parents, right?

I'd find room for it at my house though if they were my parents.

Depending on the volume, value and condition of the pieces you want to give away, you have get them into the hands of someone that can proberly handle them. If you don't, they are likely to be sold for pennies on the dollar by who ever you give them to.

I would work deal with a local art association, arts council, local college art program or someone like that.

The can organization a auction or special sale or something, The my be able to sell them in conjunction with one of their annual or holiday sales.

You can also ask them to donate a certain percentage of the proceeds to the charity of you choice.

Then again, if they were mine, I would sell them on eBay or through Craigslist then you can do what you want with the money include donate it to who ever you want in the name of you parents.

Another idea is to donate them to the art program to the school they may have gone to.

A lot depends on the total value that can be realized over a reasonable period of time.

I was looking at the images, am I assuming correctly that some of the water colors are on paper and may be showing some aging? That will of course determine the value.

Why don't publish them yourself? You can revitalize them in Photoshop and they would make great prints.

You can open a gallery on FAA in your parents name or just have a gallery in FAA account.

I'll take some

One possibility would be to talk to local charities and see if they have upcoming benefits like silent auctions, etc. Very often when charities do these sorts of things they have volunteers that might be able to help with some of the labor involved.

I'll take them all if I can get the copyright on them.

Why donīt you offer them here on FAA? Create a new (free) account and tell your story. Than donate (if you want) the money.

Edit: I missed, that Floyd recommended the same.

I don't know if they take Art, but Hospice was wonderful when my Mom was sick even though we didn't need them they were right there ready to help if we did. We donated alot of my Mom's things to their thrift store. I think it is really great to give to others what we can no longer use. It's someone elses turn to enjoy it : - )

I hope that you can find a good home for your parents' artwork, Gregory. I expect that when I die my family will just toss all of mine in the trash.

That's what I expect my family will do of mine, too. Just toss them! I like Floyd's idea. Instead of viewing the art as a detriment and space killer, view them as another way to make a little green, get some exposure and give the art (or in this case sell it) to people to actually want it.

Charities have auctions all the time - I just got an email the other day asking for a donation for one in Memphis.

"I'm emailing you because we are officially up and running and having our first fundraiser. The event will include a live art auction, silent auction, and raffle held at Crosstown Arts on December 6th. We are currently looking for gallery ready pieces to auction off at the event as well as items for our silent auction and raffle. This event provides a wonderful opportunity for you to show support to the homeless dogs and cats in Memphis. As a donor, you will be mentioned in all social media outlets utilized by ALIVE rescue & through our e-newletter (current distribution is almost 3,000). Your company logo will also be displayed at our event. Any donation big or small is greatly appreciated and the donation is also tax deductible. I can provide you with our 501 c3 for your records. I love your artwork, and would be honored to have it be a part of our event."

Want to donate something to them? Have to ship it...

My Dad was the last of the couple to die, and at a reception following his church memorial service, we gave away many items of their creation. What is left was too good to just give away (at that time) or was not taken by those in attendance, or was overlooked at that time, pending sifting of his belongings at that time. So all of their friends and relatives had an adequate chance to pick their own favorites from my parents art. So this is a first iteration: first, immediate family, then friends, and now, anyone who will value it, and to benefit myself or others. (Mostly others. Selling conventionally would be a huge undertaking, Though when I photograph it, adequate images may be offered as prints via FAA.

I've just offered the art to American Cancer Society, which has an Atlanta office (near where I live). They are a big organization that holds all kinds of fund raising activities. I'll let you know how that works out. Hospice care will be my next attempt, if needed, particularly in the region where my parents lived, and perhaps in Arizona, where much of their art originated. I think bundling the art into appropriate regions may improve its value/marketability, and so that may be worth the additional shipping expense, particularly if I can ship in bulk.

I would place a small ad in a local newspaper, some times these ads are free if you are offering free items. ATTENTION "FREE ORIGINAL ART GIVE AWAY" PAINTINGS,PHOTOGRAPHS,SCULPTURES,FRAMED ART. 1 DAY ONLY YARD EVENT EVERY THING IS FREE,FREE,FREE !

Set every thing out side on a large tarp in your yard or driveway and you will have a crowd of people that are there because they want some free ART.

Good Luck!

The bad thing about "free" art is that it may not be as appreciated as it might be if it costs people something. I would prefer that people pay something, unless truly poor, to help assure that it will not be wasted and undervalued. (For example, even when shrinks treat indigent folks, they usually charge them some little charge, which may seem big to the indigent client, because they find that they get better results if people invest something in a desired outcome. For similar reasons, I prefer that folks pay something for this art. Perhaps at a food bank, it would be to perform (extra?) volunteer services at the food bank, for example. Maybe 1 hour of extra work per item.)

I believe Goodwill Industries accept donations of this sort. I could be wrong but worth checking out.

http://www.goodwill.org/donate-and-shop/donate-stuff/

Gregory you OP Headline reads "Need Suggestions For Giving Away My Parent's Art" I think you need to ask your self the question are you Giving it Away or not? if you are, I would not concern myself with it falling into to good hands or worry about if the art will be appreciated or not . I look at it like the poor person at the side of the road asking for a handout, a few dollars maybe and then someone comes buy with lunch for the person because they don't want them to buy a beer. I think if it's a true GIVE AWAY there should be no strings attached, I would trust the motives of people wanting a piece of art and assume if they bother to come out and want the art, that it is because they see value in it. The alternative is that you not phrase it as GIVING IT AWAY and sell it. It's either charity no strings attached or it's not real charity, either way you have no guarantee's where the art will eventually end up . I would give it away no strings attached if you don't want to go through the trouble of selling it.

Assisted living facilities and nursing homes are great places....when my mom moved in, they encouraged us to give them art and decor that no longer fit in her new apartment.
Charities aren't going to store your art, but if they have an upcoming auction, you can offer when the timing is right.
Resale furniture stores are great too...they always like art on the walls over the furniture.
Have you checked with your children first?

Marlene, my kids won't or can't even display any of the art I've given them. I persist in giving them prints, but now do it in the form of an album. That way they can look at it only when they want to, and it doesn't take up limited wall space...

Mario, you can give it away where it is truly valued, or just give it away. I consider just giving it away (in most cases) to be almost the same as throwing it away, and devaluing it. I prefer to preserve its value/usefulness as much as possible, but with a minimum of effort.

I don't want much, just the absolute best possible, as is usually the case with me. For example, my favorite ice cream flavor is Double Dark Fudge, from Goren's Ice Cream in Columbus, Ohio, About 1/2 block north of the OSU campus on High Street. I wonder if they're still there? I went to OSU in the early 1970s.

Don't be so quick. My art teacher just helped restore someone parent art and they found a gallery to feature the art and all was auctioned off at the event. They made out really well. See if you have someone in your area who could help you.

Good suggestion, Iris. I should probably haul a box of the best stuff to a local gallery or two. This is way outside of my experience, though. That might work best for my mother's sculpture, but it is widely distributed among family, and the 3 pieces I have will probably go to other family after I die. Here's a not-so-good photo of one of my favorite sculptures by my mother.
I've offered it for sale here on FAA for $30,000.

}:=D

No offers so far. I might negotiate on the price a bit, since that price includes sentimental value. But for enough money to travel and do nature photography again, I would consider parting with it. I'm sure that would have pleased her.

in NY and LA a lot of charities host fundraising galas where they auction off art

they might be willing to pick up yours for such a purpose

My understanding is that Goodwill won't take anything on paper, unless perhaps, if it is mounted and framed.
That rules out most of the items in question.