Mark Shafer Memorial Event planned for Nov. 10 at Fairfield arts center

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield residents are invited to celebrate the life of one of the town’s great artists and historians during the Mark Shafer Memorial Event on Friday, Nov. 10 at the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center.

Proceeds from the event will go to two funds, one for a fine arts scholarship for a Fairfield High School senior pursuing a degree in the arts, and another fund for an outdoor art installation in Shafer’s honor that would be installed outside the arts center.

“Mark Shafer was himself a masterpiece,” said Suzan Kessel, one of the members of the committee that planned this event. “He gave us a lifetime full of his quirky ideas, creativity, knowledge, service to others and beautiful colorful art. For all he gave us, we want to create a lasting tribute in his memory.”

The event will begin at 6 p.m. that night with a cocktail hour featuring appetizers and a charcuterie table, with music by Jim Edgeton and the All-Star Jazz Band. Dinner and dessert follows at 7 p.m. with piano tunes courtesy of LeAnne Edgeton. Participants will have a chance to peruse more than 40 silent auction items and “Buy-It-Now” pieces. A live auction of 18 select items will begin at 8 p.m., led by auctioneer Jim Horras.

Residents will also have the chance to bid on auction items and purchase Buy-It-Now pieces earlier that day, since they will all be set up Thursday night. Members of the public are invited to place bids any time starting at 10 a.m. that day.

An 11-member committee was formed this past spring to plan the event. Those committee members are Mark’s wife, Susan Shafer, along with Suzan Kessel, Alissa Ward, Lindsay Bauer, John Morrissey, Chad Thompson, David Kraemer, Shawn Hickenbottom, Mandy Connor, Alex Kessel and Nancy Horras.

Suzan Kessel said the committee originally planned to hold the memorial event a couple of months earlier, but then realized that the date they chose in September coincided with the Iowa-Iowa State football game, and thus bumped it back to Nov. 10.

“We’re glad we did that, because we needed the time,” Kessel said.

One of the highlights of the event will be the unveiling of the design for the planned sculpture to honor Mark Shafer outside the arts and convention center. Kessel said it will be a two-sided, vertical structure capturing imagery from a variety of Mark's paintings. Each side will display four different sections of his works with an open area in the center. The piece will stand about 7 feet tall, and will be on the northeast lawn of the arts center, just outside the home of the Fairfield Art Association. Shafer was a founding and lifelong member of the FAA, which he joined while in high school.

Kessel said she’s excited for the public to see the design of the sculpture in Shafer’s honor, because he is richly deserving of the honor.

“The artwork will be totally representative of his colorful and whimsical personality, and it will be very different from other art pieces in town,” Kessel said. “We’ve done three bronze [sculptures] and a mural at the pool, and we thought we needed to do something different.”

Kessel said the meal on Nov. 10 will have an Italian theme, since Mark traveled to Italy to study when he was young, and was influenced by Italian art and culture. There will be choice of Vegetarian or Bolognese Penne Pasta, Romaine salad with a twist of Italy, Bread and completed with an Italian dessert, all prepared by Fairfield Golf & Country Club Chef Chris Batterson.

Art auctioned off that night will include works by Mark Shafer himself that have never been offered before. Additional area artists donating art include sculptor Christopher Bennett, John Preston, Wendell Mohr, Kathy Tollenaere, David Kraemer, Bill Teeple, Suzan Kessel, Barry Ross, Cris Soth, Steve Mitchell, Harriet Burbeck, Jenny Sammons, Bob Glocke and more. Handmade items in other media include wood boxes and handmade and painted Christmas trees by Bob and Jan Bork; an Oak Bench from an original tree at Fairfield Golf & Country Club by Dave Fredericks; pottery and a quilt by Jaxine Anderson; wine from Pat's cellar; specialty pies by Linda and Joneane, and a dinner prepared by Chef Anderson Hardy. John Morrissey Law Office is donating a Whiskey Basket plus a Paddy's Room Tasting Event.

Tickets for the event are available for purchase at the Fairfield Art Association, Tuesday through Friday from 1-5 p.m. with cash or checks, or online with credit card at www.markshaferart.com. Tickets are $50 each or a table of eight for $350 which a portion goes to benefit both Art Piece and Scholarship. Donations can also be made at both places tickets are sold. The FAA is a 501c3 nonprofit.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com

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