Visual Aid’s wildly popular, cult classic event--Big Deal 13--will be bigger than ever this year. The event will include 600+ artworks available for purchase at a fixed price of $150 each, a fabulous auction featuring luxury non-art and art items, a free drawing and fabulous party. All proceeds will directly benefit Visual Aid’s programs for artists with HIV/AIDS, Breast Cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

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

“Everyone agrees that getting a good deal is a big deal. Yet a great deal more is accomplished when you purchase artworks at Visual Aid’s ‘BIG DEAL’ Art Sale and Fundraiser. Your contributions will assist Visual Aid’s efforts to support Bay Area artists with life-threatening illnesses…” – Tim Gaskin, Benefit Magazine

Here is how it works:
• Over 600 works of art by Bay Area artists will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis at a fixed price of $150 plus tax.
• Auction – The auction will feature works of art donated by some of the region’s top artists, fine wine, travel getaways, jewelry and other luxury items.
• Drawing – Numerous exciting prizes will be given away via free drawing.

With your $40 admission ticket, you can nibble on delectable hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, while grooving to the rhythms of DJ N!K & Kid Frostbite. Enjoy people watching in a fun party atmosphere with hundreds of art collectors, art students, artists and friends. Tickets go on sale at 3:00 p.m. on the afternoon of the event, Saturday, November 11. Doors open at 4:00 p.m., and the sale runs from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

All proceeds from the event benefit Visual Aid’s programs for artists with life-threatening illnesses. Programs sponsored by Visual Aid include an ArtBank and Voucher Program for free art supplies, exciting exhibition opportunities, career services, image archives and a workshops & lecture series.

Affordable Art Sale
The affordable art sale is truly a unique model – no other art events offer hundreds of original works of art by famous and lesser-known artists alike, sold for the reasonable price of $150 plus tax, in such a “democratic” manner. New and seasoned collectors get in line for the opportunity to bring home affordable and exceptional paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture and photographs. Those who arrive late will avoid the line and still have the opportunity to choose from among hundreds of paintings, sculptures, photographs, etc.

Donations of artwork will be accepted through November 10. The participating artists for BIG DEAL include a host of nationally and internationally recognized Bay Area artists. A partial list includes Julianna Bright, Richard Bolingbroke, Ryan Jacob Smith, Inez Storer, John Casey, Ann Veraldi, Kara Maria, Mark Paron, Howie Cherman, Christiane Robbins, Robin McCloskey, Beth Yarnelle Edwards, James Orlando, Michael Johnstone, Amy Trachtenberg, Mitch Confer, Silvia Poloto, Noah Lang, Matt Pipes, Lisa Hoffman, Paul D. Gibson, Belinda Chlouber, Kirsten Stolle, Termeh Dimi Yeghiazarian, Annie Sprinkle & Elizabeth Stephens, Fletcher Benton, Mimi Plumb Chambers, Lisa Ricci, Marci Washington, and many many more.

Auction
The auction will feature important works of art by such artists as Katherine Sherwood, Timothy Cummings, Enrique Chagoya, Maria Park, Eileen Starr Moderbacher, Donald Bradford, Clinton Fein, Miya Ando Stanoff, Rex Ray, Noah Phyllis Levin, John Wood, Andrea Antonaccio, Harry Bowden, Saundra McPherson, Robin Denevan, Gregg Renfrow, Griff Williams, Mike Knutson, George R. Lawrence, David King, Inez Storer, Miya Ando Stanoff and Jim Winters.

In addition to artwork, the Auction features luxury items such as a Tahoe stay at PlumpJack Squaw Valley, Dinner at Blowfish Sushi, “Film Buff” package from The San Francisco Film Society & Balboa Theatre, sunglasses from bjorn* Eyewear, a couture handbag from eluxury.com, stays at Hotel des Art and Hotel Carlton in San Francisco, exquisite jewelry from Jeanine Payer, a Deadly Squire Skateboard courtesy of Under One Roof, membership and rentals from Zipcar, classes at Rayko Photo, a work of art created especially for you by Tofu, and items from Timbuk2, MAC Cosmetics, London Sole, Kronos Quartet, Kiss My Ring, Dollybird, Mane Attraction, 826 Valencia, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and many more.

Galleries
Participating Galleries include Gallery Paule Anglim, Bucheon Gallery, Charles Campbell Gallery, Catharine Clark Gallery, Jack Fischer Gallery, Trillium Press, Toomey-Tourell Fine Art, Claudia Chapline Gallery, Gallery 16, Paulson Press, Andrea Schwartz Gallery, Gallery 647 and many more.

Drawing
Try your hand at this year's drawing. Cozy up to performance artist Mrs. Vera and spin the "wheel of fortune!" for exciting prizes donated by our friends at Ritual, Ithaca Fine Chocolates, Crash Cabaret, Chronicle Books, The Size Queens, Mane Attraction, Bikram Yoga Inner Sunset, Harpers Collins San Francisco, Intersection for the Arts, SUPERSTAR 33, Super B Jeweled, New Conservatory Theatre, Southern Exposure, Bikram Yoga Inner Sunset, Jewelry by Jeanne Mardis and more.

Food/Drink Sponsors
The event features fabulous hors d’oeuvres, desserts and drinks from Nico Martin Presents, Diageo, Sweet Fountains, Young’s Market Company, Estates Group & Young’s Market Company, La Mediterranee, Lucca Ravioli Company, Smirnoff, Valencia Whole Food, Sweet Fountains and many more.

Sponsors
This event is supported by Art in America; The Onion; ReadyMade Magazine, 7x7 Magazine; ePAC Technologies; Spiderweb Design; Sterling Art Services; Ixia; Smirnoff; Diageo N. America; Zipcar; DJ N!K and Kid Frostbite; Jim Winters Graphic Design; A&U Magazine ; 50 Fifty, Artsextra.com ; Nico Martin Presents ; Sweet Fountains ; SF360 ; The Packaging Store ; Cole Hardware ; Estates Group, Purveyors of Fine Wines and Spirits; Stretcher.org, and Youngs Market Company, Distributor of Fine Wines and Spirits.

We are accepting new donations of artwork through November 10th. Please contact Visual Aid for details.

Please feel free to contact the Visual Aid office if you would like posters or jpegs of our invitation to send to your friends! Additional information and visuals of event available upon request. For additional information, please email us at visaid@visualaid.org, visit our website, www.visualaid.org or call (415) 777-8242.