Event Entertainer unlocks the charity puzzle as a Speed Painter

Event Entertainer and Speed Painter Dan Dunn brings Paintjam to Operation Finally Home.

Let’s face it, charity events are a tricky business. If you donate your time and do shows for free, it leads to more offers for free shows. If you charge for your show it can be tricky, you can be seen as greedy. And then you still have to block out the calendar, turn down a possible paying job and keep revenue flowing in so that the Paintjam staff and monthly expenses are paid and the machine keeps running. I have five other people on the team behind the scenes making it all happen. And two kids in college.

The good news for our show is that we have found that we can get paid for the performance and sell the paintings afterwards with the proceeds of the sales going directly to the charity.

With few exceptions, the show usually has ended up paying for itself many times over. As much as 12 times over our fee, although the average is two or three times.

A painting, with the right heavy hitters in the crowd can sell for $5,000 to $10,000 each on average and have sold for as much as $60,000 each. I am delighted and stunned when that happens!

Recently we have added a new twist that we learned from working an event in Boca with Jay Leno and watching him auction off studio tours and Leno show tickets.

After the three performance paintings are sold, and many people are bidding for three pieces, I take to the stage and offer to paint smaller paintings, 3 or 4 foot canvases in my studio for a set fee. ( depending on what the originals just sold for this can be $3,000 to $5,000 each. We then donate 70% of that fee back to the charity and keep 30% for priming painting, crating, shipping and administration costs. Because we now have several to paint, it is worth our while and it does not cost the charity anything to offer it.

Recently we were hired as an event entertainer to perform in Lubbock Texas for a homebuilders that was giving away a free home to a wounded vet. Anthony Villareal was severely burned over most of his body and is missing a limb. He has the best attitude and is a really great guy.

As this was a relatively small event the client was only expecting to cover our costs. We raised $33,000 at the auction, which was awesome, then offered the smaller paintings and sold 6 more for another $5,000 each, raising a total of $63,000. In addition, I painted another 5 foot canvas of Lady Liberty for Anthony at no charge. My gift to him for his new home.

What a night and what a win for everybody involved. I love what I do.

Smaller additional 3′X3′ and 4′X4′ canvases in the studio ready to ship after a show.