Live ärt Auction, Atascadero Traffic Way Arts District

On a super hot 98 degree day, this group of artists held the first Live ärt Auction in the Arts District on Traffic Way in Atascadero!  With lots of promoting online and face to face, it was unknown how the turnout would be but everyone was optimistic and excited for the big day.  The gallery was transformed with rows of chairs with the walls lined with stunning photographic prints, original oil and acrylic paintings, collages, framed work, and prints.  There truly was something for every artistic taste and the air was buzzing with anticipation. 

The opening bids were intentionally kept low to allow everyone a chance at a great piece of art.  Everything started between $25 and $100 depending on size and if it was a print or original.  As guests arrived, they were given a paddle number.  The cool air inside the gallery was a nice reprieve from the humid heat outside.  Guests were welcome to mingle, sip wine, and decide their bidding plan for what was hanging on display.  After much excited tension, the auction started about thirty minutes after opening.

78 pieces of art were pulled one by one by the “Vanna” and handed over to the auctioneer.  The flow was mostly counter-clock-wise with some pieces mixed to allow a good variety of artist diversity.  The first piece called was one of Marie Ramey’s and there was a great bidding war over that one!  So much action!  As the pieces were called, most sold quickly with just a handful being saved for another auction or show or even our second chance auction after every piece was called.

Prints of Jane Russell’s majestic animals in nature paintings did really well as well as Cynthia Kevorkian’s original paintings.  Marie Ramey’s prints and collages were in high demand too!

The bidding wars were awesome and some pieces really had a great demand.  My acrylic “7 Sisters”  painting had countless bidders, finally capping out at $320!  What a steal!  Some of my friends really wanted that one but it was the gem of the auction.  Framed and large, it was a great piece to bid on.

So many wonderful prints by the underwater photographers went home with new happy owners including 3 that I won by Dennis Jackson.  The other photographers were Michael Messina and Kabe Russell.

The most important that thing all of the artists and guests walked away with was joy.  The auction was a ton of fun and even some of the artists were bidding on each other’s work.  There’s such a great love for the arts in San Luis Obispo county and each artists’ fans came out to support.  Such a huge thanks to everyone involved and everyone who bid!  So many people will have new art to adorn their walls.

I’m pleased to say a number of my friends and art fans bid and won some great art!  A good friend of mine won the open commission portrait so I’ll get to paint someone dear to them.  One friend got to grab two amazing pieces that were saved in the second chance after auction bidding and since she only had herself to bid against, she won both!  With her help and support of all of my fans, I sold ten of the eleven paintings I had up for auction!  That’s astounding!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone involved and all of the support we saw today.  We hope to have more events and auctions in the future so please sign up for my newsletter to be in the know.  

When I sit down and think about why we are artists and why we do what we do, events like this help answer that question.  I feel like we can create until our eyes ache and our studios are full of completed work with the hope that one day something will sell, or we can open our studios to the public and see what magic happens.  Days like this reaffirm why I make art.  So thank you…to all of my fans!

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