San Diego’s arts community is rallying to support their Los Angeles counterparts who lost studios, homes, and livelihoods in the devastating Pacific Palisades and Altadena wildfires.
This spring, Union Hall Gallery will host a two-weekend Fine Art and Craft Sale on Friday, April 4 – Sunday, April 6 and Friday, April 11 – Sunday, April 13, featuring over 250 donated pieces spanning painting, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, and more, to raise funds for the LA art community.
One hundred percent of proceeds from the sale will directly benefit the Grief and Hope: LA Art World Fire Relief Fund, providing funds to artists and art workers following the January 2025 fires.
“This sale is both a fundraiser and a powerful demonstration of the solidarity of the San Diego arts community,” said Heidi Farkash, owner of Union Hall Gallery and Santa Ysabel Art Gallery and lifelong patron of the arts in San Diego County. “I’m overwhelmed at the compassion of this community and willingness to help those in need.”
Farkash, a Pacific Palisades native, felt compelled to act after witnessing the destruction in her hometown. “As a gallery owner for over 30 years, I knew our space in Golden Hill could bring people together to make a difference,” she said. “The response has been overwhelming— I started by reaching out to friends, artists, local guilds and collectors from across San Diego County and beyond and many have stepped up to donate their work.”
Among the artists with pieces in the sale are Italo Scanga, Paula Wittner, James Hubbell, Larry Groff, Margaret Larlham, Jane Culp, James Aitchison, Doshi, and Joe Garcia, alongside emerging artists, university students, tattoo artists and fiber artists. Several artists who have previously exhibited works at Union Hall Gallery, including sculptor Ted Berryman and landscape artist Lester Machado, have donated works or are creating new pieces specifically for the fundraiser. The showcase will also include contributions from artists beyond San Diego County, with pieces coming from Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Arizona, as well as Japan.
Inside the 2,500-square-foot space, the sale will feel like an immersive gallery experience, with pieces rotated as they sell—encouraging visitors to return throughout the event. The collection will be eclectic and varied, spanning abstract to realism – surrealism, impressionism, expressionism, fauvism, whimsy, plein-air, ceramics, glass, metalwork, fiber arts, and beyond.
With prices ranging from $10 to $5,000, the sale is designed to be accessible to all collectors, from seasoned art buyers to those looking for an affordable way to support artists in need, offering a wide variety of artwork to appeal to diverse tastes and preferences. The sale will be open to the public, and visitors can purchase artwork using cash, credit card, or check.
“We want this to be a visually exciting experience that celebrates the breadth of creativity in our region,” Farkash added. “Every purchase is a direct contribution to helping an artist rebuild.”
Dates: April 4 – 6 & April 11 – 13.
Location: Union Hall Gallery, 2323 Broadway, San Diego.
Gallery Hours: Fridays 2 – 6 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., and by appointment.
Purchases: Cash, credit card, and check accepted.
For more information or appointments: Contact [email protected] or call (619) 202-0711.
TOP CAPTION: Cabrillo Bridge Balboa Park by Larry Groff.
