The Art of Home
Art Exhibition and Auction for Flourish
I led the development and execution of The Art of Home, Flourish’s annual art exhibition and auction.
This one-of-a-kind gala featured an art exhibition with submissions from local artists, volunteers, and former Flourish guests. The event celebrated the creativity woven throughout every part of Flourish’s mission—from furniture repair by volunteers to the personal touches guests bring when curating their new homes. A centerpiece of the evening was a powerful fund-a-need video, telling the story of a former guest who now volunteers at Flourish.
Background & Goals
In past years, Flourish hosted its main fundraising event at Topgolf. While successful, the format didn’t fully reflect the creative, mission-driven heart of our work. I envisioned The Art of Home as a more personal, expressive, and values-aligned alternative—an evening that brought our community together around the transformative nature of home.
We also saw a gap in our storytelling. We needed a succinct, moving impact video to anchor our fund-a-need moment and bring donors closer to the people they support.
My goal was to design an event that would not only raise support, but also honor the individuality and creative resilience of our guests, volunteers, and supporters.
Key Responsibilities
Coordinating 50+ event planning volunteers
Securing event sponsorships and auction items
Facilitating an open call for art and engaging 30 local artists
Designing all event branding and promotional materials
Managing venue logistics, vendors, and event timeline
Coordinating the impact video: writing the script, scheduling interviews, and managing the videography team
Impact
$82,000 raised through sponsorships and auction
30 local artists featured in the exhibition
216 attendees gathered to celebrate, bid, and give
Premiered Flourish’s first dedicated fund-a-need video
Created a replicable template for future events
Event Video
To bring the heart of Flourish’s mission to life, I led the development of our first dedicated fund-a-need video, premiered at The Art of Home. I coordinated all guest speakers and worked closely with our videography team to craft a narrative that centered the experience of Stephanie—a domestic violence survivor and former Flourish guest who now volunteers with us regularly.
I invited Stephanie to share her story and supported her throughout the process with care and intention. Her voice—alongside the reflections of staff, volunteers, and partner agencies—created a powerful portrait of how home can be a turning point in someone’s life. The video anchored the fund-a-need moment of the night and has continued to resonate across Flourish’s community.
Graphic Design
I designed all visual materials for The Art of Home, creating a cohesive and elegant brand for the event that reflected both warmth and creativity. Materials included mailed invitation cards—each hand-addressed for a personal touch—along with silent auction signage, the printed event program, and large-format impact story signs featuring guest stories and portraits that I wrote and photographed.
These materials helped set the tone for the evening, inviting guests into an experience that was visually unified, emotionally resonant, and deeply tied to the heart of Flourish’s mission.
Photos
I coordinated with our event photographers to ensure The Art of Home was beautifully and meaningfully documented. I created a detailed shot list that captured not just the big moments—like bidding and the gallery walk—but also the quieter details that made the evening feel special: the artists with their work, the carefully curated catering, the connections between guests, and the atmosphere of celebration. The resulting images became an essential part of our storytelling, preserving the energy of the night and helping us share its impact with the wider community.
Artwork & Auction Items
The Art of Home featured a wide range of silent and live auction items, including original artwork, curated gift baskets, vacation packages, and one-of-a-kind mission-driven experiences—like the chance to ride the Flourish Flame, our iconic bed-on-wheels from Running of the Beds. I facilitated an open call for artists, which was thoughtfully reviewed by a volunteer panel, and helped lead the team that solicited auction donations from community partners and supporters. The result was a vibrant, values-aligned auction that reflected both Flourish’s mission and the creativity of our community.
