A painting of the Woody Guthrie on a square canvas, similar to art produced for the "Little Boxes" fundraiser.

The 38-year-old Woody Guthrie, a sailboat (aka daysail sloop) built by Pete and Toshi Seeger and the Beacon Sloop Club in 1978 to create public access to sailing on the Hudson River, will not be sailing this year. The Sloop Woody Guthrie instead will undergo a complete restoration, and is currently fundraising to complete those efforts. The most recent fundraiser is the "Little Boxes Art Contest" happening this Sunday, December 4, from 5 to 8 pm at Scenic Hudson's River Center (Red Barn) at Long Dock Park, Beacon NY.

The Woody Guthrie is a long-standing symbol of river improvement: It was built to foster people's appreciation for the Hudson River during the early years of massive cleanup projects after General Electric (GE) had discharged 1.3 million pounds of PCBs into the Hudson River from two GE capacitor manufacturing plants located in the towns of Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York, between 1947 and 1977. The Seegers were instrumental in spearheading the cleanup and protection of the Hudson River. Building the Sloop Woody Guthrie was one way they demonstrated their commitment, and the sloop brought the public into direct contact with the Hudson to experience its vastness and river life for themselves.

In 1969, Pete and Toshi Seeger and the Hudson River Sloop Restoration instituted the second great "Age of Sail" on the Hudson River with the launching of Clearwater, a wooden, gaff-rigged, topsail sloop, based on traditional designs developed over a 100-year period during the heyday of commercial sailing on the Hudson River. In order to make the boat more manageable by a modest budget and team of volunteers, the Woody Guthrie was designed as a smaller replica of the Clearwater.

About the 'Little Boxes' Art Contest 2016

People are encouraged to participate in the contest as artists or as patrons bidding on the art, to be auctioned off on Sunday, December 4. For an entry fee of $25, (fee can be paid here) each artist will receive a 3 x 3-inch, numbered canvas on which to create an original work of art, in their media of choice, on the theme of "The Hudson River." This fee includes a ticket to the reception, which is otherwise $15 (ticket can be purchased here). Artists wishing to submit multiple entries may purchase an additional canvas for $5. All completed artwork must be returned by December 2. Registration as an artist, or to simply attend the event, which will include refreshments, can be purchased here online.

To receive a canvas: Purchase your ticket online and bring proof of purchase to River Winds Gallery, 172 Main St., Beacon NY, Wednesday through Monday between noon and 6 pm.

All artwork will be offered for sale at a starting bid set by the artist, with all proceeds to be split 50/50 between the artist and the Woody Guthrie Restoration Project. Attendees will have the opportunity to vote for People's Choice awards. A prize of $50 each will be awarded for the following categories: