Loveland & Thompson Valley Rotary Clubs Present the 22nd Annual Governor's Invitational Art Show & Sale, with Opening Night Gala Set for April 27

LOVELAND, CO, March 01, 2013 (Press-News.org) The 22nd Annual Governor's Invitational Art Show & Sale to benefit the Loveland Rotary Foundation will host its Opening Night Gala Saturday, April 27th. The event takes place from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Loveland Museum & Gallery, 5th Street & Lincoln Avenue, Loveland, Colorado. A VIP preview of the show will be held at 10:00 a.m. at the Museum, and is open to the exhibiting artists and ticket holders. Local artist Scott Freeman will be hosting his Art Theatre performance from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. at Bill Reed Middle School, which is free to the public. Art featured in the show will be on display to the public with museum admission from April 28 through June 2.

This year's Governor's Art Show & Sale features 55 Colorado artists. The exhibit's downstairs gallery showcases works by local artists with a broad range of styles and influences, including more contemporary and avant-garde works. New artists participating in the show this year include international award-winning watercolor artist Selina Karim and nationally renowned painter Alyson Kinkade, whose art is displayed in the Colorado State Capitol as well as Colorado State University and Denver International Airport. David Nittmann, whose woodcarvings have been featured in The Smithsonian and The Philadelphia Museum of Art, returns for another year, along with painters Ross Busby and David Mayer. Many artists have multiple pieces available through the show. For a complete list of artists, their bios and the works to be displayed and offered for sale, see http://www.governorsartshow.org/index.php/the-artists.

Opening weekend for the Show & Sale begins Saturday, April 27 at 10:00 a.m. with a VIP preview of the artwork at the Loveland Museum and Gallery. Exhibiting artists and ticket holders can enjoy coffee and pastries while getting the first look at the art on display.

That afternoon, local artist Scott Freeman will perform his signature, captivating Art Theatre at Bill Reed Middle School, 370 West 4th Street, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The performance, where Freeman will create a large-format painting as the audience watches, is open to the public. Tickets are available at RE/MAX Alliance, 750 W. Eisenhower Blvd. in Loveland. Freeman is known for the "Loveland Mosaic" mural on display at the Loveland Public Library, and for his performance at last year's TEDxFrontRange.

The Show's Opening Night Gala will be held from 5:00 to 9:00, and will include tapas, local fine wines and beer, and a color catalog of selected artworks displayed and offered for sale. Ticket holders receive a catalog with ticket purchase. The catalog will also be for sale during the show, available on the show's website as a PDF. Attendees of the Gala will be among the first to have the opportunity to purchase paintings and other works of art. To purchase tickets, visit http://www.GovernorsArtShow.org, email governorsartshow@gmail.com, or call (970) 663-0919.

Tickets for opening night are available for $65/person when purchased in advance through the website by April 20, and $75/each at the door. The Show & Sale continues at the Loveland Museum & Gallery from Sunday, April 28 through June 2, 2013 during normal hours for the facility.

Beneficiaries of Sale Proceeds
This event is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Loveland and Thompson Valley Clubs. Funds raised through the sale of art at the show go to the Loveland Rotary Foundation. Throughout the year, funds are given to a wide variety of causes and groups, including the Thompson Valley Honor Society for painting Valentine hearts; shelter boxes for Haiti; medical supplies for those in need around the world; clean water projects in Nicaragua and Burma; shoes for children in Thailand; Trees, Water, People; Rotary International's "Stamp Out Polio" project; Project Self Sufficiency; House of Neighborly Service; art scholarships for local students' and Rotary Youth Leadership Camp scholarships.

About the Governor's Invitational Art Show & Sale
The Governor's Art Show & Sale is the largest fundraiser and capstone project of the Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary Clubs. It stands out as one of the most prestigious exhibits of original art in the Western United States. The show is made possible by Gold-level sponsors Poudre Valley Health System, RE/MAX Alliance Loveland, and Loveland Ready-Mix Concrete; Silver-level sponsors Art Works Loveland and Shannon Marketing Communications; dozens of Bronze-level sponsors; and others, including promotional sponsors Full Circle Creative and Shannon Marketing Communications. A complete list of sponsors can be found at http://www.governorsartshow.org/index.php/sponsors. For more information about the Governor's Invitational Art Show & Sale, visit http://www.governorsartshow.org, call 970-663-0919 (voice mail), or email governorsartshow@gmail.com. You can also learn more at the event's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GovsArtShowandSale.