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Rebecca Green was one of 12 artists who had work up for bid during the live auction. /Photos by Denise Cheng
Sam Blanchard puts the finishing touches on his ping pong chandelier, which mimics lightening patterns.
After several months of planning and publicity, the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts held its preeminent fundraiser of the year, Live Coverage. In its 11th year, the bash on Saturday attracted approximately 500 attendees.
From 6:30-9:15 p.m., visual artists completed pieces in front of the audience, which put in silent bids as the artists whittled, sewed, dabbed and drew. At 7:45 p.m. and every 30 minutes thereafter, artist sections began to wrap up, and attendees raced to put in their last bids.
Pieces ranged from two-dimensional work such as wood block prints and paper bags deconstructed on a canvas (Maureen Nollette) to multi-dimensional work such as pottery (Jovonnah Nicholson and Phil Wilson) and a cluster of ping pong balls lit up with Arduino technology (Sam Blanchard). Artist Erick Picardo set up a patch of drums that he beat in harmony to DJ Brandon Hill's picks as minibreaks from painting.
More than 50 local artists were invited to take part, and in exchange for their labor and materials, they could connect directly with potential buyers to cultivate future relationships.
Twelve other coveted pieces, touted during the event, were then transferred to the auditorium for a live auction at 9:30 p.m. Professional auctioneer Scott Miedema lent his vocal talents and quick wit, and bids ranged from $600-$3,500.
For a full list of participating artists and their bios, visit the UICA Website.
News brief by Denise Cheng
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