Visual Aid's BIG DEAL 14

"The sale of the year...an event not to miss...,
attended by groups of art lovers - make that fanatics..." - SF Chronicle

BIG DEAL is Visual Aid's wildly popular, signature event where 600+ works of art tempt buyers at a price of $160 each, and an exciting live auction tops off the evening. BIG DEAL is a great place for meeting people in a festive party atmosphere with hundreds of art collectors, art students, artists and friends vying for art.

All proceeds directly benefit Visual Aid's programs for artists with HIV/AIDS, Breast Cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Guests will sample delectable hors d'oeuvres, desserts, wine and cocktails, while grooving to the rhythms of DJs N!K and Toma. Tickets sales begin at 3pm, doors open at 4pm, and the sale runs from 5-8:30pm.

Here's how it works:

* Hundreds of paintings, photographs, sculptures and prints will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis at a fixed price of $160.

* A live auction will feature artwork generously donated by top artists including Ross Bleckner, Yvette Molina, Rex Ray, Scooter LaForge, J. John Priola, Timothy Cummings, James Aarons, Mimi Plumb, Paul Gibson, Elena Zolotnitsky, Enrique Chagoya, Masami Teraoka, Gregg Cassin, Laura Swanson and more. Luxury items from MAC Cosmetics and Utilikilts, jewelry by Jeanine Payer, signed Chronicle books, hotel stays at The Carneros Inn and Larkspur Hotel, fine wine and other goodies are included. One of the fun guys from Curators Fine Art will be the auctioneer.

Wheelmeisters Mr. Tina and Mrs. Vera invite partygoers to spin the Big Deal Wheel and win exciting prizes from Needles and Pens, The Candy Store and Ritual.

Sponsors include Out of Thyme Catering and Event Design, ReadyMade Magazine; Art in America; The Onion; 7x7 Magazine; ePAC Technologies; Bay Times; Artbusiness.com; Ixia; Under Glass Framing & Gallery; Zipcar; A&U Magazine; Smirnoff, Dry Soda, Lucca Ravioli Company, Seabright Brewery, Diageo and more.