| (This is part 2 of a two-part post discussing the | | | | in the sale of the item. Although I prefer selling |
| selling of art in your auction fundraiser.) | | | | framed pieces, I advise against it unless the framing |
| Last week I talked about why you should avoid | | | | is deeply discounted or free. |
| selling traditional art in your live auction fundraiser. I | | | | Some final thoughts for art centers out there which |
| gave tips for selling art, and I'm adding to it this | | | | have traditionally only sold art in their benefit auctions. |
| week with three additional ideas. | | | | In many cases, an art center's mission is to promote |
| Keep art politically "neutral." | | | | art to the larger community. These centers remind us |
| In 2009 at a more liberal school auction, I sold a | | | | that art enriches our culture, reminds us of our |
| signed print of Frank Shepard Fairey's iconic HOPE | | | | humanity, and is a valuable, tangible creative |
| poster for $2500. It was so popular, I was able to | | | | expression. In many cases, an art center's mission is |
| sell it three times, earning the school $7500. | | | | not to support *this* art style or *that* artist, but to |
| Just 30 days prior to that auction, I worked at a | | | | support art in general. |
| conservative school fundraiser. An item had been | | | | Consider expanding on that theme in your items. Sell |
| — the charity auction chair believed — | | | | an art vacation. |
| intentionally damaged because it had President | | | | It might be a first-class trip to Miami Art Basel or |
| Obama's image on it. | | | | transportation and lodging to Burning Man (Can you |
| This brings home the challenge of politically-themed | | | | imagine!). |
| art. There's a chance that at least 50% of your | | | | Offer a behind-the-scenes at the Santa Fe Art |
| audience will immediately dislike it. You've got to | | | | Colony in Los Angeles, or one-on-one instruction with |
| know your crowd. | | | | a professional artist at The Torpedo Factory. |
| Suggest a signed and numbered print. | | | | Is there a restaurant in the city which has |
| If you aren't getting an original piece of art (and you | | | | collaborated with an art center to rotate artwork on |
| usually won't), it helps to have the piece signed and | | | | the walls? Secure a dinner for two where guests can |
| numbered. "It's 14 of 100 prints," sounds better than, | | | | enjoy culinary delights on the table, and artistic |
| "It's a print." | | | | delights on the walls. |
| I doubt the HOPE poster of President Obama would | | | | The auction is your opportunity to remind art-loving |
| have brought the value it did had it merely been a | | | | guests that art is meant to be experienced in a |
| poster and not signed by the artist. | | | | multitude of ways, and can be brought into many |
| Think twice before framing. Framing is good for art, | | | | aspects of our life to enrich our experience as |
| but the challenge is that framing is so expensive. An | | | | humans. Use your items to remind guests that art is |
| additional $300 of framing might never be recovered | | | | meant to be appreciated with all five senses. |