d'Art Big Top Auction is October 6th

>>> I THINK I DISCOVERED WHAT THEY'RE AUCTIONING OFF RIGHT
HERE ON NORFOLK PERSPECTIVES AND NO, THIS IS NOT ME, BUT D'ARCY
WEISS, WE HAVE TO KEEP YOURS ON, AND BILLY, THE AUCTIONEER.
BUDGETS ARE TIGHT SO -- >> YES, THANK YOU.
>> WHY ARE WE WEARING THESE NOSES?
>> THE GALA HAS ITS ART AUCTION COMING UP, UNDER THE BIG TOP, SO
IT'S A CIRCUS THEME, SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO DRESS IN CLOWNS AND
RING MASTERS AND DANCING GIRLS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
>> AND THEN THEY WILL BE LOOSE WITH THEIR PADDLES AT THE END OF
THE NIGHT, RIGHT, BILLY? >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> YOU'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE IT'S FUN?
>> WE'RE DOING IT TO RAISE MONEY.
THE D'ART CENTER AS PRIVATE NONPROFIT ARTS FACILITY, IS WE
RELY ON THINGS LIKE THIS AUCTION TO GET OUR MONEY GOING FOR THE
YEAR TO DO PROGRAMS LIKE D'ART SMART AND THAT'S THE MAIN CAUSE,
THE BENEFIT OF THIS IS THAT THE KIDS HAVE A D'ART SMART PROGRAM
AND WE WORK WITH THE CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND
THIS FUNDS THAT PROGRAM, SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET A
GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY IN RIGHT NOW SO WE HAVE IT FOR THE
FOLLOWING YEAR. >> AND THE D'ART SMART PROGRAM
IS -- >> IT'S AN EDUCATIONAL AND
COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR AT-RISK CHILDREN.
WE WORK WITH JUVENILE HOMES, LOW-END ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND
BRING KIDS TO THE D'ART CENTER, IMMERSE THEM IN ART FOR A WEEK
OR TWO AT A TIME. IT'S JUST A WAY TO BRING ART TO
CHILDREN, THE ENRICHMENT PART THEY WOULDN'T NORMALLY GET, BUT
THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED IN LARGE PART THROUGH OUR FUNDRAISING
EFFORTS AT THE AUCTION. >> BEFORE YOU MADE ME PUT THAT
NOSE ON, I KNEW WHERE YOU WERE LOCATED, BUT MY BRAIN IS GETTING
FUZZY. SO WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
I WALK THROUGH YOU GUYS ALL THE TIME?
>> WE'RE IN THE ARCADE WHICH IS DOWNTOWN BETWEEN MAIN AND PLUME
STREET, NEXT TO THE SLOVER LIBRARY, CATERCORNERED TO
MacARTHUR MEMORIAL, ALL THE PLACES RIGHT AROUND DOWNTOWN AND
WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A NEW LANDMARK PUT IN.
ON OCTOBER 3rd, WE HAVE A BRAND-NEW 14-FOOT STAINLESS
SCULPTURE THAT'S GOING TO BE INSTALLED.
WHEN PEOPLE SEE THE BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURE, THEY'RE AT OUR FRONT
DOOR. >> WE HAVE A COUPLE PIECES OF
ART AND THEN A BOX I. RIGHT. SO WE USE AUCTIONEERS LIKE BILLY
TO HELP US, TO HAVE OUR GUESTS BID ON THINGS AND THE SILENT
AUCTIONS ARE FILLED BASKETS LIKE THIS, THEY'RE THEME MATIC AND
THIS IS CALLED RING MASTER AND FULL OF JEWELRY.
THEY PUT TOGETHER THESE FABULOUS BASKETS OR BOXES AND WE HAVE A
BID SHEET OUT AND IT'S A SILENT AUCTION SO YOU CAN PUT YOUR NAME
ON IT AND YOUR BID NUMBER AND THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE
FIRST HOUR AND A HALF OF THE EVENING, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT WIN
THIS BY THE END OF THE TIME LIMIT, WHICH IS 8:00.
AT 8:00, WE TRANSITION TO A LIVE ART AUCTION AND THIS IS AN
EXAMPLE OF A PIECE. IT'S BY CLAYTON SINGLETON AND
IT'S PART OF A SERIES CALLED I LOVE YOU AND BECAUSE IT'S PART
OF THE BIG TOP THEME, IT'S AN ELEPHANT, OF COURSE.
>> OKAY, BILLY. I HAVE SEEN YOU AT NUMEROUS
AUCTIONS THAT ARE CHARITY AUCTIONS BECAUSE YOU'RE VERY
GENEROUS WITH YOUR TALENT AND GIVING BACK, BUT WHEN YOU'RE NOT
DOING CHARITY AUCTIONS, YOU'RE DOING FOR-REAL AUCTIONS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE DO A LOT OF PRIVATE SECTOR,
FF&E, FURNITURE FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT.
BUSINESS AUCTIONS, TRADITIONAL AUCTIONS, REAL STATE AUCTIONS
PRIMARILY, BUT OUR PASSION IS AND HAS BEEN, MY PERSONAL
PASSION HAS BEEN WORKING WITH NONPROFITS AND SETTING THE BAR
AND RAISING IT EACH YEAR AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CONTINUITY,
AS IN THE D'ART CENTER, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE MY 23rd YEAR
OF CONDUCTING THIS AUCTION FOR THE D'ART CENTER.
IT GOES OFF WITHOUT A HITCH AND WE RAISE A LOT OF MONEY.
>> NOW, I WAS CHALLENGING YOU IN PRETAPE, PERIODICALLY I GET
ASKED TO POUR WINE. THE ONLY TIME THEY GRIPE ABOUT
MY WINE POURING IS WHEN I DON'T POUR ENOUGH, BUT THE PRESSURE ON
YOU BECAUSE IT'S A FUNDRAISER. >> IF YOU COME THIS YEAR, I
PROMISE YOU WON'T HAVE TO POUR IT, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO DRINK IT.
>> THAT'S THE SECRET WEAPON. >> THAT'S THE SECRET WEAPON AND
IN THE D'ART CENTER'S CASE, THEY ALWAYS HAVE A FANTASTIC FOOD AND
WINE VENUE. IT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR TICKET.
FANTASTIC FOOD, IT IS A MUST-ATTEND EVENT, AND PEOPLE
THERE HAVE A BALL. AND I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT IT'S
ONE OF THE MOST FUN AUCTIONS THAT I DO EVERY YEAR.
I LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY YEAR. THE ARTISTS ARE JUST PHENOMENAL
AT THE D'ART CENTER. THERE ARE STUDIOS THERE, PEOPLE
CAN COME AND SEE THEM. AT THE AUCTION, A LOT OF ARTISTS
ARE ACTUALLY IN THEIR STUDIOS ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
ART THAT THEY HAVE CONSIGNED INTO THE ANNUAL AUCTION.
IT'S JUST A GREAT PUNT AND, OF COURSE, WE -- GREAT OPPORTUNITY
AND, OF COURSE, WE ALSO DO FOR THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, A
FUND-A-NEED, WHICH IS AN ALL-CASH DONATION AND WE START
THE LIVE AUCTION WITH THAT. IT DOES PHENOMENAL.
EVERY YEAR THERE'S A BIG CASH INFUSION FROM THAT AND PEOPLE
WHO COME TO THE AUCTION SOMETIMES DON'T WANT OR NEED TO
BUY ART. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY, IF I HAVE
THIS COMPELLING URGE TO GIVE TO THE D'ART CENTER --
>> THIS ALLOWS YOU TO GIVE AT THE AUCTION.
YOU RAISE YOUR BID PADDLE AT WHATEVER LEVEL YOU FEEL
COMFORTABLE WITH. IT'S WONDERFUL.
>> YOU JUST KIND OF SUBTLY -- I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY KEEP YOUR
HANDS IN YOUR POCKET. >> YES.
THAT'S WHY WE GIVE YOU A BID PADDLE.
>> SO IF YOU DON'T RAISE THE BID PADDLE --
>> YOU DON'T BID. BUT YOU CAN WRITE IT DOWN ON
SILENT AUCTION. EVERYTHING HELPS US, IT REALLY
DOES. HE WAS MENTIONING, IT IS A FUN
NIGHT. WE HAVE GOURMET GANG CATERING,
WE HAVE OPEN BAR, A JUGGLE YES, A CLOWN, BALLOON MAKERS.
IT'S A NIGHT FOR ADULTS TO TAP INTO THEIR INNER CREATIVE CHILD
AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. >> HOW ARE TICKET SALES GOING?
>> THEY'RE GOING WELL, BUT WE HAVE TICKETS AVAILABLE.
THEY'RE $50 IF THEY BUY THEM IN ADVANCE AND $60 ON OCTOBER 6th
AND WE HAVE TABLES AVAILABLE AS WELL.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO GET INVOLVED, JUST CONTACT US AND
WE'D BE GLAD TO WORK WITH YOU. >> IT IS A FUN TIME AND I THINK
TIMES YOU HAVE TO KIND OF ELEVATE THE VOICE TO BE HEARD
OVER THE DIN. >> YEAH, YEAH.
>> HOW DO YOU GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION?
>> I TURN THE VOLUME UP ON THE P.A. SYSTEM, USUALLY, AND
ACTUALLY, ONCE I START WITH THE AUCTION, YOU REALLY GET INTO THE
AMBIANCE AND THE CANT AND IT'S WONDERFUL.
>> AND THE BIDDING BETWEEN TABLES GETS REALLY FUN.
IT'S A GOOD TIME. >> SO HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT
STARTING A BID ON THAT? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING
TO HOPEFULLY GET AT LEAST WHAT THE ARTIST WOULD ASK FOR THAT
PIECE OF ART, AND IT'S SUCH A THEME.
THIS IS MORE OR LESS A THEMED ART OF THE NIGHT.
LOOK AT THE BIG TOP AND WE'VE GOT JUMBO AND I LOVE YOU, AND
WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT, BOB? >> IF YOU DON'T WANT IT FOR YOUR
HOUSE, MAYBE YOU WANT IT FOR A CORPORATE OFFICE OR BUSINESS.
THERE'S ALWAYS A PLACE YOU CAN FIND A HOME FOR GREAT ART.
>> YEAH? >> YEAH.
>> YEAH? STARTING AT?
>> WELL, THIS ONE HAS A RETAIL PRICE OF $2300 ON IT.
>> OKAY. >> SO WE'LL START IT MAYBE $1500
AND WORK OUR WAY UP AND HOPEFULLY PASS THAT.
>> SO IF SOMEBODY OFFERED A THOUSAND DOLLARS, WE WOULD START
IT. >> YOU WOULD AT LEAST GET IT
STARTED. >> YEAH, JUST TO GET IT STARTED
AND WE GO FROM THERE. >> IS THE FIRST BID THE HARDEST
ONE TO GET? >> SOMETIMES.
OTHER TIMES THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST WAITING FOR THAT PIECE
AND JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. >> PADDLES ARE FLYING.
>> AND THEY KNOW THAT SOMEONE ELSE WOULD PROBABLY OUTBID THEM,
SO THEY BID HIGHER BECAUSE IT'S A PHILOSOPHY.
HOW DOES THIS BUYER WIN AND THAT BIDDER LOSE.
>> COOL STUFF. THANKS.
OCTOBER -- >> OCTOBER 6th AT 6:30.
>> NOT THIS SATURDAY. >> NEXT SATURDAY AT THE D'ART
CENTER. PLEASE COME DOWN, CALL US, LOOK
AT OUR WEBSITE. >> HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN.
>> WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR TICKET IS.
GIVE US A HOLLER AT 664-6515 AND AS USUAL, IT'S A WONDERFUL TIME
TO BE IN NORFOLK JUST BECAUSE OF YOU, AND YOU.
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