Auction Results … HOLY CRAP!

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The Sierra Cascade Logging Conference is all over, but for the clean up. The Forestry Education Fund Auction was last night and it was a booming success. The final result of the entire fund-raiser was north of $100,000. Now if you’ve been following our blogs, you know that Mary (Sneaking Bliss) and I provide original art, which is bid in a competitive way. Both pieces of art are on the auction block together. The winning bidder gets to pick the painting of their choice and then bidding begins anew on the second place painting.

Here’s how things went down. Our paintings were items 18 and 19. This is a great place to be on the schedule, the early middle. There were fifty items to auction. Everyone was still there with plenty of money left for bidding. When our turn came they asked us to come up front and say a few words, but this auctioneer was a total pro. I didn’t have a chance to needle Mary with my witty comments when the auctioneer jumped right in and was talking so fast I could hardly keep up. The first bid opened at $1,000. This was a great start! Within seconds it shot up over $4,000. As it went above $5,000 things really got serious. A new bidder jumped in and one bidder got out. Then another dropped out and it looked like we had reached the end. Suddenly, the last bidder to drop out decide he wasn’t done and the bidding took off again.  As it shot up to $7,000 then $8,000 I leaned behind the auctioneer and looked at Mary and she look at me with “what is happening here” looks on our faces. The auctioneer finally yelled “SOLD” and the bidding was done. One of our paintings just sold for $10,000! I was floored.

Now the moment of truth. The winner came up to claim his prize. We waited to see which painting it would be. Do you think he agonized over which painting to choose? Heck no! He beelined straight to Mary’s painting and snatched it off the display like he was rescuing a baby from a fire. Mary’s painting brought in $10,000 in support of forestry education! It was an amazing moment.

watercolor, MaryA Livingston, sneaking bliss, charity, auction, Sierra Cascade Logging Conference

Off Highway Hauler, the winning $10,000 painting by Mary A Livingston.

At this point my painting was back into the bidding and the auctioneer began searching for a new price. Long story short it fetched $5,000. Don’t get me wrong, this was a fantastic price. Higher than I’d seen before, but … she crushed me! Mary absolutely annihilated me! Together our art brought in $15,000. We were thrilled at its success and what it meant for the education fund.

watercolor, pen and ink, mixed media, drawing, painting, logging, fellers, fallers, timber

The Fellers, the loser painting…

Tonight I’m going to relax, lick my wounds and have a toast with my favorite competitor. Tomorrow will be soon enough to start thinking about redemption for next year.  Congratulations Mary, you are an amazing artist!

 

57 thoughts on “Auction Results … HOLY CRAP!”

  1. Pingback: Catching my Breath…What a Ride! | Sneaking Bliss

  13. To me, both of you are amazing artists! You are also blessings to our world that you would donate your hard work and creativity to help others! I am so proud of both of you!

    Never Give Up
    Joan

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  20. That auction must have been intense! What a great result, the charity must be delighted. It reflects so well on both you and Mary. Clearly the person who got her painting was determined to have it, exactly what you need in an auction. I still think the paintings should have gone home together, but it does mean they are giving pleasure to two households now!

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  24. A little late…. but I wanted to comment non-the-less: $5000 should not be a reason to lick your wounds. That’s a great sum! I’m impressed! Mary just managed to raise the bar for both of you and all the attendees! The sky is the limit when it comes to worthy causes. I can’t wait to see what happens next year. Game on!

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