Folks to get a 'Taste of Sisters'

The second annual "Taste of Sisters" is offering a tasty experience of the Sisters Country along with incentives to "come for the day and stay for the night."

The weekend will kick off Friday evening, September 18 at seven designated Sisters restaurants with "Fare with the Artist." Local artists have been paired with participating restaurants, whose fixed-priced menus will be specially designed by the restaurant's chef.

While guests enjoy a special meal, the artist will create - in just under three hours - a piece of fine art in what the art world calls a "quick draw." Finished pieces will be auctioned in a sealed bid process with 10 percent of the final auction bids donated to a Sisters non-profit organization.

The six non-profits that will be on each sealed bid sheet are: Sisters Schools Foundation; Sisters Folk Festival Americana Project; Family Access Network (FAN); Sisters Kiwanis; Sisters Habitat For Humanity; Friends of the Sisters Library.

The bidder chooses which non-profit will receive 10 percent of the bid.

Activity continues on Saturday afternoon, September 19, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in downtown Sisters with the free "Art & Cuisine Stroll." Strollers can expect wonderful art, live music and complimentary refreshments and beverages hosted by Sisters' merchants, restaurants and galleries. The sealed bid winners of the quick draw will be announced at the close of the stroll (6:45 p.m.) at each of the sponsoring galleries.

To purchase a ticket in advance for the Friday "Fare with the Artist," contact the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce at 549-0251 or http://www.sisterscountry.com.

Artists and sponsors are:

Dan Rickards, sponsored by Clearwater Gallery at Jen's Garden; Tami Meritt and Clay Warburton, sponsored by Desert Charm at Three Creeks Brewing Co .; Barbara Berry, sponsored by DonTerra Artworks at Chloe at FivePine; Lorenzo Ghiglieri, sponsored by the Ghiglieri Gallery at Brand 33 Restaurant at Aspen Lakes Golf Course; Paul Alan Bennett, sponsored by High Desert Gallery at Bronco Billy's Ranch Grill and Saloon; Jennifer Lake, sponsored by Jennifer Lake Gallery at The Boathouse Restaurant at The Lodge at Suttle Lake; Norma Holmes, sponsored by Sisters Art Works at Depot Café.