The 69th annual Sentry Tournament of Champions— the calendar year-opening tournament of the PGA tour season played by the biggest stars in golf— featured a new addition to this year’s annual tradition at The Plantation Course at Kapalua: the inception of the first-ever Art Walk, where Coldwell Banker Island Properties Global Luxuries expert, Mary Anne Fitch, was selected to curate the experience for Maui artists to showcase their work at the world-renowned event.
Fitch, a seasoned real estate titan and art connoisseur, partnered with Sentry Foundation, Maui Jim, and the Maui Arts League to co-sponsor the inaugural 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions Art Walk Gallery and online charity fundraiser.
Arts enthusiast and long-time supporter of the Maui Arts League, Mary Anne Fitch, became involved with the event when she and her husband, Nam Le Viet, were approached by the tournament about sponsoring an art-related event thanks to their involvement with the after-school arts program for kids on Maui, as well as an annual fundraiser they host to benefit the program.
“It’s also another way for us to include clients in our lives,” added Fitch. “We develop very close personal relationships with so many of our clients. Everybody looks to be a part of the community and this is a fun way to gather people and get together. Also, many of our clients have purchased lovely estates and are looking for works of art from local artists. There’s a real synergy between art and real estate.”
This unique pop-up art gallery showcased over 40 original pieces of art by local Maui artists ranging from original oil, pastel, and acrylic paintings that featured beloved local landscapes, to 3D wood maps of the Hawaiian archipelago and blown glass sculptures. Notable pieces included mixed media paintings by artist Mimi Stuart, such as an Arnold Palmer painting signed by all qualifiers of the 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions and six additional mixed media paintings of previous tournament winners, each one autographed by the champion golfer of the respective year.
The online auction component of the Art Walk gave art enthusiasts the option to either make a bid or purchase artwork outright. The goal was to raise $100,000 through art sales and donations to benefit the local community by funding the creation of arts and cultural programs and scholarships for Maui youth and adults, which will be developed and delivered by the Maui Arts League.
