Art show raises thousands for Little Sisters

More than 100 supporters and patrons of the arts ventured to 4th and Lake to bid on works from dozens of local artists in the Celebrate HeART! show and sale.

About 40 works from the Brown and Campbell Collection — including signature works from William Campbell of Washington Square Park, and Frank Brown of Russian Hill — were available for purchase.

Honorary chair Diane Wilsey praised the artwork on display at the event:

“There is something for everyone. You look at a picture and think, ‘I could do that,’ or you think, ‘I could never do that,’ or, ‘I wish I could do that.’ Nobody looks at a picture without a reaction. It really touches your heart.”

Wilsey should know. As president of the Board of Trustees of the Fine Art Museums of San Francisco — including the resplendently reborn deYoung in Golden Gate Park — art is more than a career or hobby, it’s a lifestyle:

“I live it, I breathe it. It’s almost 24 hours a day for me. Even when I leave the museum, I go home and I have do all the work. I’m always thinking about it and how to bring it to more people.”

Joanne Murphy, auxiliary board member at St. Anne’s and chair of the Celebrate HeART! event, told SFBay she considered the first-time event at the home a success:

“Our opportunity came with this beautiful Brown and Campbell collection, then we expanded it with volunteers. The goal is to raise money for the home and make new friends, and this time we have. We’ve got a lot of new people who have never entered our program before. We’re very excited about this.”

The event raised money for the Little Sisters of the Poor of San Francisco, who operate St. Anne’s Home as a home for needy elderly in San Francisco. The total raised will be available after the sales are tallied.

St. Anne’s is the only private facility in San Francisco which gives preference to those in financial need. St. Anne’s curently houses 40 residential care and 46 skilled nursing care residents.