MoNA 31st annual auction a night of shared magic

There was sharing aplenty at the Museum of Northwest Art Saturday night as MoNA raised $370,000 through purchases and donations at its 31st annual auction. The First Street museum was humming as people gathered for the second year in a row, with nary an N95 mask in sight. The theme, "Share the Magic of Northwest Art," was visible throughout, with over 300 pieces of art hung and displayed on every gallery wall on the first and second floor, with sculpture and jewelry displayed on stands and tables. Most of the art was donated by local and regional artists and collectors. There were 30 live auction items and 275 items in the silent auction. Staff and volunteers Monday were working to finalize totals.

Supporters were especially generous for the Fund the Future campaign, which raised some $122,000 Saturday, starting with a $25,000 challenge match by Rebecca Beneroya and ending with $25,000 from the estate of Margaret Bickel. Allison Kramer and Sandy McDade offered the first $10,000. Auctioneer Ian Lindsay pressed people to be generous and brave, prompting for "Anyone who doesn't want to give $5,000 but will do it anyway." The 100% cell phone fueled donating system seemed to have a glitch, with numbers totaling slowly at first but then pouring in. At the $81,000 level, another $10,000 match was offered by "a group of MoNA magicians" and, poof, the total quickly grew above $100,000.

The live auction started with Diana Klein having the winning Golden Ticket, one of 100 sold at $100 each. She chose Paul Havas' untitled northwest landscape, a 12" x 40" oil on canvas painted in 2012 with an estimated value of $3,800, donated by Margaret Miller.

The evening's big ticket item was Guy Anderson's "Floating Figure," mixed media on board, 61" x 61" painted in 1976. Valued at $38,000, the bidding started at $15,000, rose above $20,000 and sold at $25,000. It was donated by the estate of Dr. Saul Spiro.

Auctioneer Lindsay reprised his role of horserace announcer, again selling works in sets of three. It did not matter if bidders were in the main gallery or online. All used the online cell phone app. Lindsay hyped, prodded and encouraged bidders in what he termed two minute segments but went longer as he patiently worked to increase final offers by prolonging the time, saying once "I am going to count down in more real time, starting with five seconds to go. Only three second so go. A very long three seconds." Then, finally, "sold." Another time he insisted "You have one very long second. You have less than one second."

Bidding started online June 2 and ended at 8 p.m. June 11 for the silent auction. The show opened for previewing May 26.

Before the live auction started, a video tribute recognized longtime museum director Susan Parke, who died in March. Parke was executive director from 1990 to 2007, beginning her tenure while the museum was still in Gaches Mansion.

Videos through the evening recognized programs and people. The 31st Art Auction Honorees Patricia Christine Aqiimuk Paul, Esq. and Candice Wilson, Quatz'tenaut, co-curators of last year's exhibit, "Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: Honoring Our Stolen Sisters." In introducing Wilson, Executive Director Stefano Catalani called the exhibit "an incredible experience for the museum to collaborate with these two talented curators." In the program notes he called it one of the most important highlights of the past year. Wilson spoke to the group live.

Also highlighted were the educational programs and the museum's docents.

The evening was scaled back from the pre-COVID-19 years, which kicked-off with a Friday night preview and had the auction start with a sit-down dinner in a huge tent set up in the parking lot on Second Street. The last two years it has been billed as "pre-dinner," starting at 4 p.m. with hors d'oeuvres, wine and the noted oyster bar, finishing up with desserts anchored by chocolate covered strawberries.

Monday evening the museum posted social media of the total and photos.

Catalani echoed those remarks, in an email: "It was truly a magical night for MoNA! I want to personally thank everyone who attended in person and those who joined us from around the world. Kudos to the Board of Trustees and the indefatigable staff for delivering such an amazing performance!"

He noted the amount raise bested 2022's $320,000, making 2023 perhaps the second largest auction result of the past 15

Tickets to attend were $100 or $250 for patrons funding artists attending.

One hundred Golden Tickets were sold at $100 each.