Huntley Jaycees to host autism fundraiser

Local child artist has been busy creating watercolors and pastels, which will raise money to help those impacted by autism.

He’s come up with artwork to suit many different tastes.

He has the Blackhawks, still life paintings, landscapes and many more.

Those pieces will be auctioned off at the 2nd Annual Evan’s Art for Autism fundraiser, hosted March 12 by the Huntley Jaycees at the Village Vintner, 2273 Randall Road, Carpentersville.

The money raised from the fundraiser will go toward Autism Speaks Chicago.

Evan, who lives in Lake in the Hills, was diagnosed with autism at age 3.

The boy, who is now 10, has been interested in creating and expressing himself through his art for nearly as long. His talent has blossomed through the years.

The Jaycees wanted to come up with a way to showcase his talents, and to help others, said his mother, Karen McClintock.

“My friend came up with the idea last year because she just thought he has such talents and we should share it with everyone and in the process, do something good,” she said.

Last year, the Jaycees auctioned off 30 pieces of Evan’s artwork at the fundraiser, bringing in more than $5,000 for the cause.

This year, they’re hoping to have even more artwork available, and raise about $7,500.

The fundraiser will be held in two different time slots, with equal numbers of Evan’s artwork available at each.

The first session will run from 5 to 7 p.m., and the second from 8 to 10 p.m.

Tickets for the event are $30 per person, or $50 per couple. Only 90 tickets are available for each session, because space is limited in the winery.

For the ticket price, you’ll receive eight tickets, which you can use to sample wines and craft beers. There also will be appetizers, desserts and live music.

And of course you’ll get a chance to see and bid upon the artwork, and also see the artist, who will be on hand at the event.

The art will be available through a silent auction.

Last year, most of the artwork was done mainly in colored pencils, crayons and markers, Karen McClintock said.

This year, they’ve introduced Evan to watercolors and pastels and his mom says he loves the new medium.

“I’d say 80 percent is pastels. It’s turning out so beautiful,” she said.

She said she’s hoping many people come out for the event to help raise money, because Autism Speaks is a helpful organization to families dealing with a diagnosis, like she was seven years ago.

When her son first was diagnosed, she didn’t know where to turn.

She spent many of the following months doing research on her own.

Autism Speaks helps parents along that way, she said.

For example, she said, they give newly diagnosed families survival kits for the first few months of a diagnosis.

“I wish that they were around when Evan was diagnosed. That would have been the first thing I would have seen and it would have helped,” she said. “It’s something with more and more kids being diagnosed that more people need.”

For tickets or information on the fundraiser, contact the Jaycees at (847) 802-9280 or email info@huntleyjaycees.org.