This year’s Palette to Palate fundraiser signature artwork, “Alien Invasion,” donated by CCC Fine Arts student Julie Jones, will be auctioned during the event on April 26. Courtesy photo.
FLAGSTAFF — Time to sharpen the taste buds and hone an appreciation for fine art.
The annual Palette to Palate fundraiser that supports the Fine Arts Department at Coconino Community College begins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26, at the Lone Tree Campus, 2800 S. Lone Tree Road. This popular event, sponsored by Findlay Toyota, will feature more than a dozen local restaurants, all donating their food and labor for the cause, competing for the Palate of Choice awards in the categories of the best hors d-oeuvre, best dessert and best presentation.
More than a dozen original works of art, also all donated, will be bid on during a live auction. The signature artwork, “Alien Invasion,” by CCC Fine Arts student Julie Jones, also will be auctioned. Dozens more original works of art will be part of a silent auction. There will be a live-painting performance by Art of the People, a collective of indigenous artists who strive to “share the heart story of the Navajo religion, philosophy and way of life through art.”
Additionally, there will be magic by Cam Jam the Magic Man and music will be performed by the Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy Jazz Band.
“Since its inception, CCC has contributed to the cultural fabric of our community by providing quality fine-arts instruction for our students and a creative outlet for community members,” said Scott Talboom, Executive Director of the CCC Foundation. “The Palette to Palate event is a critical component for program support, and for generating much needed funds to support our students.”
Carrying on a rich tradition in the arts, CCC has hosted Palette to Palate for the last 17 years and donations have helped purchase needed supplies and equipment for students, particularly at a time when funding for community colleges continues to dwindle. Items funded with Palette to Palate proceeds include a new kiln and hood for ceramics classes, lighting for the art studio, a pug mill that kneads clay for potters, blinds for the dance studio and scholarships for Fine Arts students.
“We are proud to say that many of the professional artists in our community have earned degrees or honed their craft at CCC over the past 27 years,” Talboom said.
Alan Petersen, CCC Fine Arts faculty, said, “Palette to Palate has become an important source of funding for the Fine Arts Department as well as a community celebration of art and culture. Our goal has always been to present an event that our community members enjoy.”
Live auction framing sponsor is Aficionado Framing; beer sponsor is Mother Road Brewing Company; wine sponsor is SoSoBa; coffee and tea sponsor is Campus Coffee Bean; refreshment sponsor is Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Flagstaff; floral sponsor is Sutcliffe Floral; and table linen sponsor is Mission Linen.
Advance ticket prices are: $60 per person (general public); $100 per couple (general public); $10 more for tickets purchased at the door; $750 for table sponsorship up to six seats (limited availability).
For more details and sponsorships, contact Nicole Honanie at 928-226-4348 or Nicole.Honanie@coconino.edu. To purchase tickets online, visit www.coconino.edu/foundation.
About Coconino Community College:
CCC has served residents across 18,000 square miles of Coconino County since 1991. The College has the goal of improving the lives of our residents through workforce development and higher education.
CCC provides affordable tuition and more than 50 certificate programs and two-year associate degrees in academic and career fields. CCC also has programs that ease student transition to any of the three state universities, including the award-winning CCC2NAU.
CCC reaches out to the more rural portions of the County and Tribal Lands. Instructional sites offer classes through online, in-person and Zoom video conferencing classes to meet the needs of students in rural and remote areas. Nearly 20 percent of CCC’s students are Native American learners.