Left Hand Brewery recycles labels for an art show and charity auction

When Left Hand Brewing Company changed the shape of its labels, the Longmont-based brewery had a lot of leftover material. Rather than throw it away, artist Donald Wilson suggested a charity art show. You can see the result tonight, when work by more than twenty local artists who used the...

By Robin Edwards

December 20, 2013

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When Left Hand Brewing Company changed the shape of its labels, the Longmont-based brewery had a lot of leftover material. Rather than throw it away, artist Donald Wilson suggested a charity art show. You can see the result tonight, when work by more than twenty local artists who used the leftovers to create unique, multi-media pieces goes on display at an art show and charity auction complete with free beer and food from Georgia Boys BBQ Company.

"They were gonna toss these out, but instead of toss them out I said I could find artists to create art out of them," says Wilson, who created pieces for the show himself. The art includes everything from profiles of Marilyn Monroe and Johnny Cash crafted from labels to ceramic pieces that incorporate the labels. All the art will be up for auction to support the Left Hand Brewing Foundation, a nonprofit that supports local communities and provides aid in emergencies.

A donation of $5 covers admission, beer and food, as well as a musical performance by Cat Jerky, a band that got in on the creative project. "The drummer for Cat Jerky took a bunch of labels and covered the drum set with the labels," explains Wilson. "He's gonna play the drums all night and then at the end of the night we're auctioning off the drums."

The fun runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at Left Hand Brewing Co., 372 Main Street in Longmont, and will be preceded by a toy drive from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Anyone who donates a new, unwrapped toy with a value of at least $15 to the Santa Claus on hand will receive a free pint. For more information, visit Left Hand's website.

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