Belfair Self-Storage art wall turns into silent auction

Kirk Boxleitner | Aug 10, 20230

The art wall at Belfair Self-Storage is doing something different for August — art wall founder and self-storage business manager Barbara Treick said its art exhibition is doubling as a silent auction through Aug. 31.

“Area artists are displaying pieces ranging from ink drawings and acrylic paintings to collages,” Treick said. “The only information listed with each piece will be a number, with a corresponding bid sheet. Bids start at $1, with a minimum of $1 bid increments.”

Treick has lined up works from at least seven artists, who will possibly be displaying as many as 15 to 20 pieces. Winning bidders can pick up their pieces Aug. 31.

“People are invited to come into Belfair Self-Storage, view the art and write down a bid,” Treick said. “I would also suggest they come back periodically, to see if they’ve been outbid.”

Among this month’s selection are two pieces from eclectic visual artist Sharon Taylor, who last displayed her art at Belfair Self-Storage last fall, and acrylic painter Rae Van Fossen, who was featured on the art wall in spring.

“I was trying to talk James Kelsey into displaying some of his small sculptures in August,” Treick said. “After talking for a while, we came up with this idea instead.”

Treick will be displaying a framed 8-by-11-inch ink drawing she did in 1993, titled “Thanksgiving Vacation,” and if there’s enough wall space left over, after the other artists have hung their pieces, she plans to include two of her own “remixed” paper and fabric collages.

“I was writing a letter about Thanksgiving vacation, and realized I couldn’t find the right words, so I drew my thoughts instead,” Treick said. “Most of my inner self is hidden, but there are places when the viewer can see me starting to open up to others.”

Treick’s unframed 14-by-22-inch paper collages were drawn from a series she did while living in Portland in the early 2000s.

“When my relationship at the time ended, I cut up all my pretty collages, and created some very dark, angry collages, adding cutouts from wallpaper sample books, and fabric from something I’d worn back in Portland,” Treick said. “Many years later, and after much healing, I cut up the angry collages and reworked them again, this time adding cutup strips from my original ink drawings in 1993. I think they show how healing can open your heart and soul up to being able to let others into your personal inner circle.”

Treick credits the art wall, and her interactions with the artists whose works she’s displayed, with helping bolster her confidence in her own artistic abilities.

“I’m no longer holding my pieces hostage in boxes, for fear someone might misunderstand the message, or worse, misunderstand me,” said Treick, who marked her 60th birthday with a studio tour. “I put up every single piece I had ever created, more than 200, on display. More than 50 people showed up, and I sold 30 pieces that night.”

Treick encourages other prospective artists to pursue their aspirations.

“Just do it,” Treick said. “Find a way to make it happen. I started out using supplies from the Dollar Store, ink pens on typing paper and scraps of wallpaper. My first paintings were done in a box, over a 5-gallon bucket, while I sat on a footstool.”

Treick now allows herself to experiment more often and broadly, routinely changing her styles, media and substrates.

It’s also allowed her to provide opportunities for other artists, such as the August silent auction, from which all proceeds will go back to the participating artists.

“We will not ship the artwork that’s bid on, and will only hold those pieces until Saturday, Sept. 2,” Treick said. “If the winning bidder has not picked up their art by 4 p.m. that Saturday, they will forfeit their bid, and the artwork will be returned to the artist.”

For further details, contact Treick at [email protected] or at her office at 360-275-2257.