MoNA’s 29th annual auction: people stepped up

 

THIS YEAR’S GOLDEN RAFFLE CHOICE – Alex Meek chose “Dead Soldiers Can’t Sing,” a 14” x 14” encaustic painted by Zobra Wambleska after his name was pulled at the 29th annual MoNA auction June 12. Meek helped to sell out the Golden Raffle tickets, buying during Auction Art Preview at the MoNA store. He probably walked through the galleries and picked this from over 200 artworks in the Silent Auction. – Photo courtesy of MoNA

As the Museum of Northwest Art rolled into its 40th year it had become increasingly clear that the COVID-19 pandemic would once again restrict MoNA’s annual art auction. The traditional in-person excitement that MoNA depended on to support this fundraiser was, for a second year, at stake.

Not knowing how the community would respond after a long and extremely difficult year fighting the COVID-19 virus, MoNA reached out to local volunteers and asked us to co-chair the auction committee with Gretchen McCauley, Lucy Mae VanZanden, Nancy Pellegrino and Rose Dennis.

This was a special year, too.

The museum, founded forty years earlier at the Gaches Mansion on Second Street and now in its present location on First Street, decided this year’s auction would highlight MoNA’s first 40 years with an eye to its next 40 years.

So with fingers crossed the auction team went to work connecting with sponsors, artists and collectors hoping and praying they would show up as they had in years past.


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And boy did they ever!

The sponsors stepped up and the art poured in.

Excitement began to build as save-the-date cards were mailed, a new website was created with a special online auction catalog and invitations designed and printed.

As the fundraiser dates moved closer, docents enthusiastically commandeered the front desk while volunteers showed up to hang the art. The Museum store sold almost all the Golden Raffle tickets and for two weeks, from May 27 through June 9, visitors came from far and wide to view over 250 donations.

Throughout the galleries, art for silent auctions 1 and 2 and the live auction covered the walls with paintings, lithographs and prints, while sculptures and jewelry sat on pedestals, along with special experiences all beautifully on display and available for bidding.


Then for the real test.

Bidding opened June 10 for silent auctions 1 and 2 and June 12 for the live auction.

That night the Virtual LIVE began at 6 p.m.

with an opportunity to thank sponsors and explain how to bid, all while listening to the sultry sounds of jazz.

At 7 p.m.

it was time for the wild ride.

Auctioneer Ian Lindsay, known to many from past MoNA auctions, got the ball rolling with a big tribute to our cherished long time MoNA supporters and honorary hosts, the Dunlap family.


Gretchen McCauley and Meghan Dunlap Rice kicked off the program followed with a spirited message from MoNA Executive Director Joanna Sikes.

Board President C.J. Ebert announced this year’s trustee award went to Earlene Beckes for her years of service to the museum and Beckes took us on a quick tour of her collection.

Alex Meek was the Golden Raffle winner, allowing him to pick from over 200 silent auction artworks. Meek chose “Dead Soldiers Can’t Sing,” a 14” x 14” encaustic painted by Zobra Wambleska,

Then it was time to auction off the art. Lucy Mae VanZanden popped in to highlight each group focusing on some of the region’s most beloved artists. With only two minutes allocated to each group of art, Ian Lindsay whipped the bidders into a frenzy. This was followed by an enthusiastic raise-the-paddle to “Fund the Future” and finished up with two more groups of art and a nod to the passing of great northwest sculptor Philip McCracken.


As the museum now exhales after its whirlwind annual art auction, it can be said that the artists, sponsors and collectors stepped up to the moment, as they always have.

Holgate and Humphrey were co-chairs of this year’s auction.

 

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