Auction set-up

[Patt Legg]

Ok, here I am again. Within the next two weeks, I will attempt to put some of the advice into effect that I have acquired here. Well, some of it. I have been asked to donate once again to a function and there will be an auction. (This is located at a school for training doctors.)

I decided to give a Certificate with X amount of dollars off when presented for an oil portrait. I am going to attempt to scan my certificate that I intend to present. I don't know that it is that important except that I wonder about the information on it, if you can see it.

In a nutshell, the info on it is money toward a 16" x 20" or 18" x 24" oil portrait, single person, head and shoulders, unframed, and I gave it a one-year limit to use the certificate. Oh, and a limit to the retail amount.

I have never tried this approach as I usually donate simply a painting but really would like to try and gain more exposure for my portraits. I plan on setting up another portrait as a sample portrait. Do you suggest that I also have brochures, business cards or what else with it? That is if the co-ordinater of the function will allow advertising. What is the usual procedure .

To my knowledge, this has never been done here in my small hometown except once by another new artist and she donated the entire portrait. I have done similar in the past and due to the low bids locally, I feel that my work was underestimated.

Please, any suggestions will be deeply appreciated as the auction is April 13.

Patt

[Patt Legg]

Again, I failed to attach the certificate in my message so here it is. Don't know what I did wrong.
Patt

[Chris Saper]

Hi Patt,

I think you should let the auction people know that you will be setting up a sample and displaying materials. It should be a condition of your participation.

I would also recommend that your gift has restrictions, ie that certificates cannot be combined, and that there is a limit of one per family. The idea is to get your work into NEW venues, not lots of work in one. Auctions deal with restrictions all the time, e.g. hotels, restaurants, with black out dates, etc., so they should not be surprised. Also I would not indemnify the recipient against price changes. Clearly state that your prices ar esubject to change.

Display a piece of work that is relevant to the particular group of attendees, just as you would tailor a resume to a particular interview.

Offer to do the set up as no one will do it as well as you. You also need to check the bid sheet carefully, as people need to know clearly what they will have to put in to the gift to have it happen...dollar-wise. Otherwise, long after, they will be angry at you, not at the auction committee.

Good luck, Chris

[Chris Saper]

P. S. It is not clear to me what you mean by "limited to retail amount"? Also I can't read the line above "Good for the above..."?

[Patt Legg]

Thank you Chris. I appreciate your input.

By retail amount, I have basically told them the cost of the painting completed (therefore, their portion needed to pay above the discount). "Good for the above" was stating that good for merchandise only, not cash. And the painting will be unframed.

You stated for me to check the bid sheet as to what people will have to put into the gift to have it happen dollar wise. What exactly do you mean?

I would hate for the bid to be exceptionally low and that will affect the recipients of the auction but I assume that regardless of the the bid amount, I will receive my amount. I certainly do not want someone to bid and then be shocked at their amount due upon completion of such portrait. I have stated the price of painting ie., the retail. I hope they would realize that the retail is their portion to be paid. Right?

Well, any other info is appreciated. My hubby tells me all the time that I am traveling a road going nowhere, as this is a small town and they do not appreciate "fine art" as they seem to think of it as not a real job. Quite true.
But, I keep hoping that newcomers realize better and I know that it is an "education" to be taught about art. Do you have any ideas how to approach new horizons in other locations, larger cities or areas where this is done? How do you find functions with auctions larger than this and how does one get involved as the farther out you go, they do not know who you are (unless they are national such as yourself) HOW DO YOU GET STARTED ABOVE AND BEYOND YOUR SMALL AREA

Thanks again Chris. I love this forum, so helpful.

Patt

[Stanka Kordic]

Hi Patt!

Well, you certainly got things together here! Looks good, here's a couple of more ideas.

I would suggest including your price sheet on the display, along with your promotional items. Hopefully your prices are simple enough to not be confusing. By that I mean, say, START your prices at $1500, that way you'll get at least something and won't worry about it.

As for minimum bid, ask the committee how they base that. I usually reguest it to be started at 50% lower. For example, yours would be starting bid at $250. up at $50. increments. You have to decide it that's OK though.

A word of caution: yes you do run the risk of no one bidding. BUT, your cards are out, and this is a learning experience, someone MAY follow through later. Miss big-time donater here (ME) just this weekend donated where no one bid. Fortunately, I have a sense of humour and decided that because I wasn't there (it was in GA) everything went wrong. They must of thought the sample painting was for sale, and it didn't match the couch..

Go to the event and make sure that everything is in order, the bid sheet NOT COVERED UP (yes, its happened to me). Your sample painting near your table with a note that it is a SAMPLE (yes, mine has been clear across the room before, unexplained). In other words, it helps to be there to take care of your own interests. The auction committee is usually to busy to be taking care of details.

As for other towns..Go to the phone book and look for national charities foundations, like the Cancer Society or Diabetes or whatever. Call and ask if they do "Gala, Silent Auction Fundraisers". These are typically high-end functions that bring in $200 a ticket just to attend.

Good Luck Patt! Hope this helps.

[Patt Legg]

Gee thanks Stanka, your information was very helpful and it was nice to see that the "non-bid" thing has happened to others besides myself. No offense to you. I had decided never to attend the actual auction as I get so anxious and nervous. The 2 times there was no bid, it happened that I did indeed have a minimum and no one started at that. Oh well, win a few lose a few. Life does go on. I had begun going only to the wine and cheese receptions and slipping out before the auction. But you have given me a ligit reason now to stay. I do agree with you about overseeing your own set up, etc. I have been very disappointed in the past because of the "lack of attention to details" and rightfully so since they are very busy.

As for the national charities, I would like to try that. Am I to be so bold to volunteer a donation or exactly what is the proper approach

Thanks,
Patt

[Michele Rushworth]

Just call up the national organizations and offer to be a donor.

I'm participating in five auctions in the Seattle area this year and I'm learning from each one. At the first auction there were no bidders on my work -- I should have done more homework before offering to donate to that one! All the other items were very low-priced.

The second auction happened a month or so ago and my work was purchased, but for much less than I would have expected. The good news is that the people who saw my work at the auction and the winning bidders live in a very expensive part of town. Exactly the right demographic where I want my work to be seen. My sample was not prominently displayed, though, and my item came up in the live auction at the end of the night, after 60 other items. I think the reason my item didn't go for much is that people had spent all their money by then!

For the third auction I made sure to put a sign on the my sample saying it was an EXAMPLE of my work and that the winner would get a portrait painted of a person of their choosing. Even if it says so in the auction description, people still think the sample is the piece that is for sale! The private school that held that auction is the one that Bill Gates sends his kids to, so it's the right demographic too! The school won't tell me who won the bidding or how much it went for so I have to wait for whoever it was to contact me. I think I'll try to attend the auctions myself from here on out to see who bids, and lso to try to set up my display myself too! I have no idea how the work was displayed for that event. I sent two framed samples, a portfolio binder and some postcards.

The next auction coming up next month is a big black-tie gala where people spend $400 just to get in the door. They have strict rules about "no advertising" so people wouldn't know how to contact me later if others were interested in my work. Obviously I don't like this set up, but it is THE big event in town.

We'll see how these pan out for me and what kinds of referral business it leads to down the road!

[Stanka Kordic]

Patt,

Sorry didn't answer sooner..Like Michelle said, I would just call up. They love these donations.

Question I am questioning..'Do I even SHOW a sample piece??' Like you Michelle, I have been disappointed in the lack of understanding people have about the sample portrait. I've included recently a tear sheet w/several samples in a frame. I'm beginning to think that's enough. (along with my price sheet and promo things)

I think they walk by my painting, don't bother to read, and assume it won't match the couch!

Good luck to you both at your events!

[Patt Legg]

Michele and Stanka,

Thanks for all you have graciously given toward my "un-experienced" life in the "auction" lane. Only 2 hours ago, I finished doing the set-up at the upcoming auction that I had mentioned (it is at 7:30 tomorrow night) and I am going to attend. Like I said, it is not a "pricy" function (I have been told) but that the attendance should be between 150 and 300. For the area that it is in, that is fantastic. It is a fundraiser for students of Osteopathic Medicine (D0) to help with student tuitions and held at the Alumni section of the school. Quite fancy for here.

I took an 18 x 24" sample, on nice mohoghany display easel. A small table (covered) and had a write-up on black background, on smaller easel. One of the students there immediately commented, "oh I wish so and so was here, they would buy that portrait, "so here I am doing a card to place above the oil that it is "ON LOAN, not FOR SALE".

I have also donated a limited edition Lithograph of the same "lady" in the painting as she is in her place of business. Long story SHORTER: This particular person in painting has been named "honorary" member of the school as she is definitely quite an "icon" in the community now for over 57 years. Her business is such an establishment that all of the alumni from 50 years ago still come to see her.

Didn't plan to write an entire bio. but I am afraid I am already overly excited about tomorrow. Hope you will bear with me.

Thanks so much again and I love this forum and everyone is so helpful. I feel so fortunate to be a small part of it.

Patt