Auction Block a success!
Woah, there. It’s been a few days since we last talked. We’ve been so busy with getting our first ever Auction Block ready, and now that it’s over we are happy to report that it was a success of many fronts. We’re back in full swing now here, so let me fill you in on some details of the last few days…
We did something we’ve never done before, in hosting an art auction. Sometimes it sounds silly even saying that. We’re not a gallery; we’ve never held an auction before. What made us think we could do it? I’ll tell you—we’ve always been able to attract an eclectic mix of people from various walks of life, artists, business people, youngsters, our parents, etc.; we have some very artistic and creative friends, friends who could speak (through their work) individually about a given topic or point of interest; and let’s be honest, we throw a great party too.
Vera Parker Kennedy, Catherine Parker’s granddaughter, discusses her grandmother’s artwork with designer Michael Tsanis.
But surely an event like an art auction is far more than just a party. Over the summer, we compiled a list of a couple dozen or so artists who could create a piece for this auction (and who could be patient with our first shot at it). In the end we had a wonderful group of 12 artists and designers in the show, each of them contributing something that was inspired by the theme of “community”—an element unique to this event. We had photography, editorial cartoons, handmade jewelry, graphic design, painting, t-shirt design, illustration and book art. The crowning pieces of the night, the two live auctions in a night of silent lots, were a book/box with 21 pieces of artwork and design by local artists, typographers, poets and illustrators; and an exclusive Catherine Parker painting, made for Auction Block, of an autumn harvest.
Annie Adams’s LOCAL necklace, which inspired a new line of letters and words now on sale at her store.
The contents of Richard Kegler’s donation from the WNY Book Arts Collaborative. Auctiongoers had a great time looking through the individual pieces of artwork contained in the book.
Contributing artists to this year’s Auction Block: Catherine Parker, Richard Kegler, Penny Wyatt, Catherine Linder Spencer, Linda Gale Gellman, Stephanie Robb, Annie Adams, Karol Kirberger, Tom Rooney, Adam Zyglis, Michael Tsanis and Michele Conley Vogel. Local organizations which benefitted from the sale of the auctioned artwork: Art Committee of Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, CEPA Gallery, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, Paint Box Project of Roswell Park, ReFind Arts of Buffalo ReUse, Starlight Studio, Ujima Theatre Company, Vive La Casa and WNY Book Arts Collaborative.
A room full of wonderful food from Tempo.
All of our pieces sold, over $2,500 was raised for local arts and cultural organizations, and fun was had by all. We had delicious food by Tempo, wine from Clearfield Liquor, and wonderful help from a great group of volunteers. Block Club would like to thank everyone who came, all of our artists who put so much time and thought into their pieces, our volunteers who helped to make sure things ran smoothly, and all of our vendors. Special thanks to Annie Adams and Elisabeth Samuels who helped make sure our pieces were displayed so beautifully.
We look forward to more fundraising efforts in the future, to more art, more food and wine, and more friends. Thank you everybody!
Photos by Jennifer Ulrich.
Posted by on 10/06 at 10:30 AM
POST A COMMENT