At the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC), visitors can see two donated paintings whose proceeds will go toward Spokane Complex Wildfire recovery efforts.
The pieces were donated by Spokane philanthropist Dave Clack, taken from his personal collection. During a press conference at the MAC on Friday, Clack said he was encouraged by his children to donate the paintings after his wife and fellow philanthropist, Mari Clack, died in 2025.
“So I’ve done a lot of housekeeping and housecleaning,” Clack said, “And then we got to the art, and I said, ‘Well, the art is really yours.’ And they said, ‘Well, we both live in small, empty-nester homes now, and we don’t have the wall space. So [we] think that you ought to figure out a way to contribute that art in some form.’”
Clack said 100% of the proceeds are going to Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP) to help survivors.
“So that’s just not only something that I had in mind, but the kids that grew up in this community felt the connection and the importance of supporting those people who lost their homes in the fires,” Clack said.
Three of the paintings have been sold already — two before the unveiling and one during it — amounting to over $7,500.
SNAP CEO Amber Johnson said the needs of survivors are changing.
“We have found that as people are coming in now, their needs have shifted from those more [emergent] needs like food, shelter, clothing, to things like helping support their family during rebuild or while they’re getting their home repaired,” Johnson said.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown attended the unveiling, along with Spokane Fire Marshal Rich Galtieri. Brown drew back the curtains on the artwork with Clack’s help.
“Art is a way for people to experience emotions and realities that we can’t always put into words,” Brown said. “And so it seems very appropriate to me that we are taking this art that has been created and utilizing it in this way that will mean so much as we go forward on this journey, this long road.”
Only one painting is left for sale — called “Breath of the Dragon” — and visitors can see it for free in the MAC lobby during regular business hours. The artwork was created by Pacific Northwest artist Kathleen Gemberling Adkison.
