Jerry “The King” Lawler, Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, District Attorney General Amy Weirich and Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy are just a few of the local celebrities who’ve channeled their inner Renoirs to raise money in support of local victims of domestic violence.

WMC-TV anchor Joe Birch is among several local “celebrities” whose art will be auctioned off next month to support the Catholic Charities of West Tennessee.
(Photo: Lance Murphey)

Works by two dozen notable Memphians will be auctioned off during Catholic Charities’ “Healing Hearts with the Arts,” which takes place Feb. 9 at the offices of Askew Nixon Ferguson Architects Inc. at 1500 Union Ave.

This is the second year in a row for the event, but the celebrity component is new. Last year’s event featured paintings by clients from all of Catholic Charities’ shelters.

Since Catholics make up less than 5 percent of the population in West Tennessee, most of the clients served are not Catholic.

“Women impacted by domestic violence can go to Sophia’s House; refugees from war-torn places across the world are welcomed to our city by Catholic Charities,” said participating artist and longtime WMC-TV anchor Joe Birch. “Our own homeless, mentally ill men can find help at Genesis House. There’s relief from alcohol and drug abuse available at Dozier House. There are many other services Catholic Charities provides quietly and consistently without banging a gong or blowing a trumpet.”

“Healing Hearts with the Arts” benefits Sophia’s House, Catholic Charities’ 29-bed haven for local women and their children fleeing domestic abuse.

“Domestic violence is about the only major category of crime in Memphis and Shelby County that has been on the increase,” said Michael D. Allen, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of West Tennessee. “My understanding is that there were over 6,000 arraignments last year for domestic violence crimes, and there are really only two shelters in the city for victims fleeing domestic violence, and that’s Sophia’s House and the YWCA. It’s a big problem.”

Sophia’s House provides shelter, meals, clothing and transportation. The facility also provides individual and group therapy; case management; legal advocacy including restraining orders; education and independent living skills; and job counseling and placement services.

“Sophia’s House is one of our community’s compassionate responses to the scourge of domestic violence,” Birch said. “It deserves our community’s support. In our small way, my wife, Robyn, and I wanted to help the art auction to make the Mid-South more aware of Sophia’s House.”

“Healing Heart with the Arts” – the largest fundraising event for Sophia’s House – is held around Valentine’s Day “because so many of the women and children who come to us have broken hearts,” Allen said.

Organized by a volunteer group of 14 women, planning for the event started in November, when the group of celebrities gathered on a Thursday night for a painting party hosted by Lisa Dick of GoGirl Art.

“Everyone had a great time, and at the end of the night, all these folks were using their smartphone to take pictures of everyone else’s work,” Allen said.

The celebrity painting, as well as about 20 works of art by Catholic Charities’ clients, will be up for auction at the Feb. 9 event, which will include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and is expected to attract more than 200 attendees.

Although most pieces will be included in a silent auction, some – including a painting by Catholic Diocese Bishop Terry Steib and a painting of Batman by Lawler – will be auctioned off live.

Other auction items include a family tour of the WMC-TV studio in Midtown with meteorologist Ron Childers, several pairs of shoes signed by Penny Hardaway, and Memphis Grizzlies and Tigers sports memorabilia.

Visit www.ccwtn.org for more information.