This Saturday is for Phinley Huisken. The four-year-old who died of Acute Myeloid Leukemia lives on in the foundation, which raises money to fund a grant that will increase the amount of research that works to fight childhood cancers like the one which took Phinley’s life. 

This weekend – Artful Things in Niceville will help to raise some of the money needed to make the dream a reality. 

The manager of the gallery and art supply store on State Route 20, Alanna Campbell, heard about the mission of Phinley’s Phund and knew it would become the cause for their annual open-air art day that takes place just before Mother’s Day. “It’s our day as a gallery to expand our community a little bit and bring in guest artists, guests, vendors, artisans who are not in the gallery right now.”

For the last couple of years, they’ve paired the open-air art day with a fundraiser. After Campbell heard about Phinley’s story, she knew it was the right cause to support. “In spite of everything that she went through, she was just such a happy kid. So joyful, always creative,” Campbell said. She was “so precious and she is a reminder of how precious life is – and how we can find or should find joy, even in the small things.”

In addition to a donation the gallery and art center will make in Phinley’s Honor, many of the local artists who display their works in the gallery will also donate a portion of their proceeds. 

The event will take place from 11-3 on Saturday, May 6th. More than 20 local artists and vendors will participate in the fundraiser. In addition to painters and drawers, there will be authors, chefs, bakers, and cheesemongers (which the author just now learned is the job title for a person that sells cheese). 

For more information about the event, you can check out Artful Things’ website or follow them on Facebook.