"Yu Tan" Shang Ding Oil, 18" x 24"

The exhibition, showcasing 44 of the world’s most notable living representational artists, was free to the public from June 19 through July 6 at the Colorado History Museum.

The exhibit generated nearly $300,000 from art sales. Half of the proceeds went to contributing artists, $40,000 will benefit Colorado’s Ballet’s community outreach programs and the remaining earnings go to fulfill Salon’s mission as a service to the community. This year, Colorado Ballet received eight times the amount of money raised at the inaugural event and art sales nearly doubled from 2002.

“The goal of Salon d’Arts is to promote art appreciation and education, while connecting the visual and performing arts,” said Natalie Rekstad-Lynn, founder of Salon d’Arts. “Salon’s support of the Colorado Ballet strengthens the tie between art forms, and enhances the artistic and cultural community in Denver. We are proud to donate to an organization that provides such beautiful and expressive art to the city of Denver, and are thankful to everyone who participated in this year’s event. ”

Over 3,000 people visited the exhibit or attended workshops and panel discussions presented by the artists, up from 1,000 people in 2002. The panel discussions and educational workshops were once again a very popular attraction for visitors to hear each artist’s visions, motivations and passions firsthand. Salon d’Arts artists were chosen based on long-term artistic significance and merit. Each artist displayed three works, two pieces were for sale, and one piece, borrowed from an established collection, was not for sale. The artists showcased a variety of representational art, from portraits, landscapes, still lifes and sculptures. The Salon d’Arts art sale and exhibition will return on June 19, 2004, and will run for three weeks to exhibit work by renowned artists and continue to grow in its mission to bring art to Colorado.

Salon d’Arts
Salon d’Arts was established in 2001 by Natalie Rekstad-Lynn. Its goals are to promote long-term artistic integrity and education via visual and performing arts; to continuously enhance the community’s economic and cultural development through funding to support Colorado Ballet missions, including community outreach; and to strengthen Colorado’s presence as an international cultural destination. For more information, contact Natalie Rekstad-Lynn at (303) 494–0180 or rekstad-lynn@attbi.com. Or, visit the Salon d’Arts Web site at www.salon-d-arts.org.

Colorado Ballet
Nationally recognized as one of the United States five foremost regional ballet companies, Colorado Ballet comprises 36 professional dancers and 15 apprentices. Founded 42 years ago, its academy provides the highest caliber dance instruction. Its education and outreach programs serve more than 22,000 people, and gives under-served children the opportunity to take quality ballet lessons. For more information, contact Alyson Vivar at 303-837-8888 ext. 19 or alyson@coloradoballet.org.