On Our Cover: ‘A Hand Up’ Painting Up for Auction

Baileys Harbor artist Kate Roth donated her oil painting, “A Hand Up,” for the 2018 Philanthropy cover. The painting will be auctioned off for charity. Photo by Len Villano.

Upon hearing this year’s Door County Living Philanthropy theme — highlighting the charitable efforts behind the peninsula’s nonprofit structures — it was natural for Baileys Harbor artist Kate Roth to consider the people behind those efforts.

She is, after all, a painter of people. When commissioned to create this issue’s cover art, Roth held the view of philanthropy as “the love of humankind and humanity,” and the elements of human nature that factor into philanthropic efforts.

“With some projects, especially community-driven projects, sometimes there can be some tension, sometimes there can be some differences, but either way, people are doing things and making decisions based on how they benefit other people,” Roth said.

“A Hand Up” by Kate Roth.

She recognized that it takes people of all kinds to make charitable efforts successful — leaders willing to move the project forward and guide those who “need to be given a hand to participate.” This idea became the foundation for this publication’s cover art, “A Hand Up.”

Movement, energy and light permeate the oil-on-canvas painting, which offers viewers a first-person perspective on being given a helping hand. It was a view Roth was inspired to capture after hearing about Door County Secret Santa, the nonprofit that helps area families with winter heating needs. These charitable gifts are often left anonymously on the family’s doorstep during the holidays.

“They gave me this visual of a person picking up the gift,” Roth said. “The feeling that person must have had when they opened up this gift and the gratitude that went toward it. I wanted it to be from the perspective of people that need help also seeing the cause, but also the people that are getting the assistance that is needed or getting the facility that’s needed.”

The oil-on-canvas painting “A Hand Up” (22” x 30,” unframed) will be on display during the summer of 2018 at the Door County Living office and throughout the community. It will be auctioned off to raise funds for the local charity of the winning bidder’s choice. The minimum bid is $750. Please contact the Door County Living office at 920.839.2121 for current viewing information.

For more on Kate Roth’s work, visit kate-roth.com.

Local Artists Support Local Charities

For the past nine years, Door County Living has successfully partnered with local artists to create paintings for charity. The philanthropic-themed paintings graced the covers of our Philanthropy Issues and were subsequently auctioned off to raise funds for the Door County charity of the winning bidder’s choice.

We are proud to announce the 2017 cover, “Great Egret,” donated and painted by Ephraim artist Charles “Chick” Peterson, raised $2,000 for the Door County YMCA.

Door County Living’s Philanthropy Issues have together raised $22,550 for Door County charities. In addition to last year’s beneficiary, other nonprofits to receive funds are the Northern Door YMCA, The Clearing Folk School, Door County Humane Society, HELP of Door County, Door County Maritime Museum, Unity Hospice, Peninsula School of Art, Door County Habitat for Humanity, Door County Community Foundation, Door County Silent Sports Alliance, Door County Land Trust and the Door Community Auditorium.

All bid submissions should be mailed by September 28, 2018 to:

“A Hand Up” Bid

c/o Door County Living

8142 Highway 57

Baileys Harbor, WI 54202

(Minimum bid:  $750)