So, another secret I can let you all in on right now is how to get the secret of your choice the night of Secrets. We have photographed, cataloged and prepped all of the Secrets. They're all very well hung. (Wink.) The Westin Ballroom will look amazing. Sexy, in fact, because I know Jolie Harris and John Hinger will make that a priority! Bust through the doors at 6:00pm and rush around looking for your board to find the secret you want. You will be swept up and part of the frenzy. Then settle in and watch as others try to grab the art of their choice. Have a drink and share your Secrets and your secrets!

Here are a few clues as to how to suss out the Secret Work of Art you have been eyeing! First, come to the Westin Atrium and have a peek at the Secrets. Remember, the night of the event the boards will not be in the same configuration as they are in the atrium. So mark your Secret by remembering the board name and then the number and title which peek through at the top of each Secret.

Buy a Raffle Ticket! We'll draw 10 names to enter the ballroom at 5:50 - ten minutes ahead of everyone else! You'll be able to grab your chosen Secrets uninterrupted. Last year, the odds were really good. You will not be sorry if you win.

As the doors open at 6:00, scan the room. Locate your board by its name and run, don't walk, to your desired Secret. Hand your pre-purchased art voucher to a Secret Keeper and they will hand you your Secret. Flip it over to see whose work you got! Please don't bitch about what artist made your piece - if you're digging for pay dirt, just buy another voucher. And have a cocktail.

Oh yeah, if you come find me, I will tell you a secret or two on the spot!

Good luck,
Tamara

We asked everyone to reveal their own secrets. Come on, you can do better. I am sure there are more of you that have secrets to tell. Dish. Tell all.

Last year Secret ArtWorks raised $68,000 for ArtWorks. Because of this extraordinary success we were able to hire 160 teens and 40 professional artists to work with us during the course of the year. We painted 10 new murals, and worked with Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald house. We had an amazing year, and are so proud of all of the people who worked with us to make art which has a tremendous impact on all of us.

It is not a secret that the dedication of ArtWorks' staff, commitment of ArtWorks' funders, and the talent of the artists we get to work with are the heart and soul of our programs. Here's another secret: on Friday, Secrets Artists will be wearing red carnations to stand out. ArtWorks trustees and Secret ArtWorks committee members will wear white ones. Thank them if you get a chance!

What other secrets shall we divulge? There are 536 artists who sent us their Secrets this year. Kim Krause did 5. Did Frank Herrmann do any? You'll find out. My husband did one and here's a clue: it's golden, of course. Pam Kravetz did one, too, but she got hers in so late it is not hanging in the preview at the Atrium. There are a few Secrets I hate, but I'll never tell. They're all up here. Today, my favorite secret is number 1307. What's yours?

Lately I have been thinking a lot about secrets. This is on account of our Annual Fundraiser, Secret ArtWorks, November 20th at the Westin hotel. There's a preview of all 1,400+ Secret Works of Art in the Westin's Atrium this week until the main event Friday evening where they will be up for sale in the ballroom.

Since we are all about revealing secrets, I have been racking my brain trying to come up with a secret or two that I am willing to divulge for this blog. In fact, I have been asking anyone around the ArtWorks office they had any secrets they were willing to expose. No one would spill.

Before I go any further let me explain a bit about Secret ArtWorks. This annual ArtWorks event has three goals: to promote ArtWorks, to host a public art event which publicizes the work of a ton of Visual Artists, and finally, of course, to make money. We have asked hundreds of artists from around the world to create 5x7" Secret Works of Art. The art is on the front, and artists' signature on the back. The "secret" is the artist's identity, which is not revealed until the piece is purchased. All of the proceeds from the event go to support ArtWorks programming. We hope that it is no secret that ArtWorks hires artists, teens and professionals, and puts them to work creating works of art that enhance the city. To date we have done hundreds of public art projects, like the Big Pig Gig and 27 kickass murals that dot the urban landscape. Is there one in your neighborhood?

On Friday night, we will reveal more than 1,400 Secrets! In the meantime, I'll go first. Here is my big secret: I don't know what the hell a blog is, or where people get time to blog, or why you care what I think about anything. Same goes for Twitter. (I sorta get Facebook.)

Another secret: This event brings out the best (great artists who make amazing Secret Works of Art) and the worst in people. I have lost friends over this event. I have seen adults get so mad when the artist's name was revealed after they bought the piece, that they tore up their purchase. Big ass babies. Last year one "lady who lunches" came up to me telling me that the piece of art she bought was not art at all. Everyone's a critic.

We are looking forward to having you reveal some of your secrets. Have at it. Be anonymous (or don't). Consider this a challenge! Divulge something deep, dark, sinister, sexy, good, bad, or ugly. It might be fun. My friend Adrienne told me it was ok to use expletives in the blog. (It is encouraged she said.) So, expose your shit, show us your secrets.