Box Art Auction Is Next Week at Hoie Hall

Now in its 17th year, the annual Box Art Auction to benefit East End Hospice has established itself as a highlight of the late summer season and a testament to the talent and generosity of the local art community. 

This year’s event, featuring the work of some 90 artists, will take place at Hoie Hall at East Hampton’s St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on Aug. 26 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., when a reception and silent auction will be followed by a live auction conducted by Lucas Hunt. Ruth Appelhof, the former executive director of Guild Hall, will receive this year’s Spirit of Community Award for her contributions to the East End art community.

The boxes can be previewed at Hoie Hall on Wednesday and next Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a free reception with the artists will take place Wednesday from 5 to 7. A sneak preview can be had even sooner at eeh.org.

The event begins to take shape in the spring, when Arlene Bujese, its longtime chairwoman, distributes the small donated cigar and wine boxes to artists who will transform them into a remarkable array of one-of-a-kind works.

Among the participants are Stephanie Brody-Lederman, Connie Fox, Carol Hunt, Rex Lau, Susan Lazarus-Reimen, Dennis Leri, Christa Maiwald, Paton Miller, Gabriele Raacke, Reynold Ruffins, Hans Van de Bovenkamp, Dan Welden, and Frank Wimberley.

The year’s auction coincides with the one-year anniversary of the hospice’s Kanas Center for Inpatient Hospice Care in Quiogue, where skilled staff and volunteers provide 24-hour acute care and emotional and spiritual support for patients and their families. While the hospice serves the North and South Forks and eastern Brookhaven, the auction benefits residents of the Town of East Hampton communities.

Admission to the auction is $75, which includes wine and hors d’oeuvres.