Art Auction Offers Good Deals and Stand-up Comedy
by Amy Herring

Dragon*Con’s Art Auction on Monday interposed sales of fantasy and SF art with a rollicking comic routine by volunteer auctioneers Phil Lacefield and Marc Lee. The dynamic sales duo used horrendous French accents, pleas of kid fans to doting parents, and challenges to competing bidders to sell dozens of objects de art which had received at least five silent bids in the art show. Charity pieces were also auctioned including potion bottles—results of an artist’s challenge at the show—stained glass and a glass bead, both depicting a dragon, and a collage of work by attending artists.

Lively bidding ensued for a majestically creepy gargoyle of fired clay and a winged panther by Jim Humble, as well as usable art from artist Peri Charlifu’s Middle Earth collection. Jim Humble’s “Screamer,” also labeled as “Snarling Gargoyle,” took top dollar sales in the auction at $260 (after this reporter arrived), but was still a veritable steal from its quick sale price of $350.

Competition also ran high for archival quality prints. Lacefield related gruesome stories about Alan Beck’s kitten and dragon pictures, but no animals were harmed at the auction, although Lacefield’s safety was in doubt at points both from the kitten-loving crowd and fellow auctioneer Lee, whose physical comedic style placed everyone present at risk of bursting a gut.

High interest ensued for two of Theresa Mather’s mixed media originals which escaped early quick sale capture to grace the auction. Prints by artist Mary Jane Williams featuring “samurai chicks,” (as dubbed by Lacefield) merited hearty competition as well.

“Dad,” as he was adoringly called by the auctioneers, grabbed not only Jim Humble’s original fired clay “Saucer,” but also rescued the collage of notable artists from a barrage of bids. The auction ended with hearty cheering for the Evans family of Marion, NC, the proud new owners of great art, and with the admiration of Dragon*Con art aficionados for introducing appreciative young fans to the joys of fantastic art.