Benefit auction 'refreshes' campus art

The public is invited to spend an evening schmoozing with the IU contemporary art sphere. At 6 p.m. Friday, the School of Fine Arts Gallery and the Friends of Art will present their first benefit auction of the year, Refresh. Several Bloomington restaurants and caterers will provide hors d'oeuvres. Semi-formal attire is recommended.\nA silent auction will begin at \n7 p.m. The live auction will begin at 7:30 p.m. and run until approximately 10 p.m. Refresh organizers will auction off original student and faculty artwork, professional art that has been displayed in the gallery throughout the past 20 years and more than 150 pieces from the John Beck collection. Beck bequeathed part of his collection to the Friends of Art program to help it continue its advocacy programs. His works can be viewed by visiting the group's Web site at www.fa.indiana.edu/foart and clicking "Events."\nBig Red Liquors, Burnham Rentals, Pygmalion's Art Supplies, Tina's Cuisine, Tabor Bruce Architecture and Design, The Prep School, Les Champs Elysées Day Spa and Salon, Flowers and Interiors, BLU Culinary Arts, One World Enterprises, Limestone Grill, Restaurant Tallent and Mr. and Mrs. Whitney Gates are providing local support.\nAll proceeds from this event will be split between the SoFA gallery and the Friends of Art program to bring artistic opportunities to students. The gallery brings several professional artists to IU and supplies an exhibition space for students and faculty. The groups' goal is to provide a place on campus to display contemporary artwork. Friends of Art endows operational and financial support to art students, including an average of $20,000 in scholarships each year.\nTickets to the auction and gala will be $20 at the door. Director of the SoFA gallery Betsy Stirratt explained that this is the only event for which students are required to purchase admission. \n"We don't get tuition money," she said, "even though we serve the students"