All of us anticipated the public debut of many recent additions to the Permanent Collection. I did not notice any disappointment. The erotic themes varied from gentle to rough. A few focused on women. The Foundation house doubles as a gallery, so there were hundreds of additional works on display – most of which will be go into storage to make room for new ones this autumn.

In addition to enjoying the artwork, this was also a great opportunity to talk with some of the artists in a relaxed at­mosphere. That is my favorite reward for helping the Foundation. Bob Seidemann, Sean Platter, Palanca, and Sultan were there. Windon QRXZ Boy showed a videotaped performance called “A Walk through the Mural.” (Yes, it showed him walking on a mural.) Ross Johnston had a formal unveiling of two of his new donations to the Collection. Celso Junior and David Crocker also showed new works, but were unable to attend.

That night, a new program was introduced: “Be Part of the Art.”

Most of the artwork the Foundation receives is not framed. To display most flat artwork to the general public, it needs a frame for basic protection and to present it at its best. This new program allows people to “adopt” a piece of art by supporting its framing costs. If the donor wants credit for helping this project, the Foundation will be more than happy to publicly post it on the wall card that accompanies each piece—or keep the identity secret. Either way, we send a certificate that includes a picture of your “baby” as a remembrance for your enjoyment—as well as a receipt for tax purposes. All donations are tax deductible.

This project has been extended to the Foundation’s website. You can already see some great art on the website, and we will be adding even more!

The many ways to contribute:

There are various ways to assist the Foundation. Some people contribute money, which is always needed and welcome as it is the life’s blood that keeps the Foundation alive. Donations, art sales, and other fundraising activities keep the ship afloat. Without such generosity, there wouldn’t be a Tom of Finland Foundation.

Some people can contribute time and talents. This is the heartbeat of the Foundation. That night I was taking photographs. Others were serving food and drinks. Many work on the Dispatch, other parties, the Art Crawl, and the dozens of projects it takes to keep the Foundation moving forward. On “Archive Sundays,” twice a month, we work on sorting and documenting the massive collection that is the core of the Foundation’s effort to save, catalog, and preserve the thousands of images and original pieces of art.

I have found numerous rewards as a volunteer. I have seen more original erotic art than most people see in a lifetime — and thousands of copies and reproductions. I have also met exceptional people and made great new friends. There is a lot of enjoyment mixed in the work. Most important, though, is the fulfillment that arises from aiding this one-of-a-kind organization.

No other institution in the world does what the Tom of Finland Foundation does. Created to preserve Tom’s art, its mission quickly evolved to include other gay art, finally expanding to include all expressions of erotic art. Knowing that future generations will be able to view and enjoy this art made the evening more than just a thank-you to its members and volunteers. It was an exclamation point on a series of very satisfying experiences.

        —  Louis Jay

The affair was attended by several hundred fetish enthusiasts who were given an opportunity to experience the works of the guest artists, and to view the Foundation’s permanent collection of over 150 works on exhibit.

The evening’s music was provided by David TG from Torture Gardens, a London based DJ group. Our volunteers did a remarkable job of hosting our visitors and guest artists, and the Foundation was pleased to do outreach to an ever-expanding audience in the area of the erotic arts.