The Peoria Art Guild is asking for help locating a painting stolen from the organization.
The group posted a call to action on its Facebook page, stating the artwork, a small painting of a cow with the word “Annie” behind it, was taken the morning of July 7. In the post, the guild stated the painting has significant value and the suspect attempted to sell it at a local pawn shop.
The person was identified through surveillance footage in cooperation with the pawn shop, but a name has not been released. Peoria Police Department spokeswoman Semone Roth told the Journal Star there were no updates on the case as of July 9, and the incident is still under investigation.
Peoria Art Guild Executive Director Shannon Cox said the painting is valued at $650, which the organization will pay back to Nancy Bass, the artist who created the piece. Cox said the guild contacted the pawn shop the painting was taken to and confirmed the identity of the suspect.
“He tried to take it to the pawn shop, but they weren’t interested in it,” Cox said. “The funny story is they told him to bring it to the Art Guild, because they might be interested in it.”
This is the first time a painting has been stolen from the guild, Cox said. She fears the suspect tossed the painting somewhere after the pawn attempt, and the guild is accepting it may never see the work again. However, the incident will not affect the upcoming exhibition.
“If somebody sees that painting and wants to return it to us, we would be highly grateful for it, but if not we will just stay positive and keep on going,” Cox said.
The painting, “At the Museum after Ed Ruscha,” is one of several by Bass, a Peoria-born artist, on display at the guild for the month of July ahead of a reception celebrating her work July 11. This is the first time Bass’s work, which blends cow imagery with fine art, has been shown in Peoria.
In an email to the Journal Star the morning of July 9, Bass said she had not previously heard of the incident, but said it was “worrisome.”
“I hope they improve their security for the rest of the show,” Bass wrote.
Cox, the Peoria Art Guild executive director, told the Journal Star the guild will likely not employ additional security measures, as security cameras and employees do all they can to monitor visitors.
“We try to keep an eye on things, but things happen. People are slick. This is an unusual circumstance. Most of our visitors are very respectful of our facility.”
Those with information about the painting’s location are encouraged to contact the Peoria Police Department or the Peoria Art Guild.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Painting stolen from Peoria Art Guild days before show where it would appear
Reporting by Christina Avery, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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