CEDARS BENEFIT Artists unite after the fire

Silent and Chinese auctions continue at Cedars until 4 p.m. Sunday.
By AMBER HYLAND
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A community of artists and musicians gathered Friday at Cedars Cafe downtown, creating a bittersweet aura of comfort and loss.
Supporters of the Youngstown Mattress Company Arts Center, 460 Martin Luther King Blvd., held a benefit at Cedars for a fire that destroyed the center Sunday.
The building was purchased in 1982 by Coy Cornelius, who provided local artists with studio space to display and create artwork. Cornelius also operated a beauty salon in the building.
The event included a silent auction, a Chinese auction and eight local bands.
Sara Tkac, a spokesperson for the event who had her first art exhibition at the center last year, said it was unfortunate that it took a tragedy to bring everyone together.
But she said it was heartwarming to see everyone help those in need.
Donations
More than 60 local artists donated pieces for the auction. Local businesses also donated gift certificates and gift baskets to be auctioned.
The banquet room of Cedars is filled with a collection of eccentricities, including a horsehair vase, a painting of former U.S. Rep. Jim Trafficant wearing a crown of thorns while hovering in a spacecraft, gift certificates to Artistic Demographics and a crystal labeled "Salt of the Earth" with a "Lick at your own risk" warning on the table next to it.
People can still bid on items in the auctions today from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Winners need not be present.
Tkac said she did not have high expectations for the money that would be raised; however, she said the response from the community has been overwhelming.
She placed only one sign in a shop window and said her cell phone was constantly ringing from people who wanted to help.
Supporters of the center can also make donations at any branch of First National Bank to The Youngstown Mattress Company Benefit Fund.
All proceeds from the benefit go to uninsured artists whose studios and artwork were destroyed in the fire.
Plans for relocation of the center have not been discussed because everyone is still in shock, Tkac said.