Lining the walls of the art gallery, paintings of canned food – each one different from the next – were made for more than just viewing pleasure. Each and every painting reflects their artist’s unique aesthetic, and all are up for auction. Tantalizing realism hangs beside colorful impressionism in this show made to serve a greater good. Art instructor Bill Paskewitz created the “We Can” art show and the food drive to raise money and donate food to the Alameda County Community Food Bank.
Paskewitz, who will retire next June, said he wants to give back the community “as a thank you for letting me have a wonderful 28 years here teaching.” Paskewitz also said the other reasons he decided to give back to the community, besides as a thank you, was to show art is not just for decadence. He also has a friend who was homeless for a while from making bad choices in life.
“This all came from a grant from the Las Positas College foundation,” Paskewitz said. When he applied for the grant he got thirty blank canvases for the students, alumni and faculty. He decided to have them paint canned food to relate to the “We Can” cause.
The paintings, which are currently hanging in the art gallery room in the 4000 building, are being auctioned off from the website BiddingForGood.com. As of Oct. 8th, 2014 they had raised up to $1800 from the art auction. The bidding is currently still going on until Oct. 29 at 8 PM. The auction is not just for people around the area, but also for anyone around the world.
Each donated dollar to the food bank is actually six dollars worth of needed food for the food bank. The art gallery room will be open for anyone to take a look during college hours.
“All the paintings that don’t sell, we’re donating to the food bank to hang in their offices,” Paskewitz said.
After Paskewitz retires, he hopes this cause will be continued in the future.
