Art In The Park Auction Breaks Record, Again

CHATHAM – Once again, totals from the Art in the Park auction blew away the amounts raised in previous years.

The auction of 76 whales, sharks and signs, which ended Friday, netted $151,670, a 10 percent increase over last year’s $137,171 total. It also beat out totals from 2022 and 2021.

The highest bid, an astonishing $13,050, was for EJ Artistry’s painted whale for sponsor Beach Bum Surf. Each side of the whale has a separate beach scene painted on it.

The next highest bid was more than half that, $7,950 for Allie Richards’ whale, featuring a nighttime vision of the Stage Harbor Lighthouse for sponsor Ports and Company.

Ten additional artworks sold for more than $3,000 each. Surprisingly, all were whales. The highest price bid for one of a dozen or so sharks was $2,750 for Wayne Davis’ wooden sculpture done for the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.

The lowest price paid for one of the pieces was $650.

According to Janice Rogers, who organizes the annual art exhibit for the Chatham Chamber of Commerce and Chatham Merchants Association, bidding started off slowly but began to heat up the day before the auction was slated to end.

Half of the proceeds go to the individual artists, while the other half goes to the merchants association to support Oktoberfest, Christmas by the Sea and the annual Easter Egg hunt. From those proceeds, the merchants association also contributes to local nonprofit, including Monomoy Community Services, the Center for Active Living, scholarships, the Creative Arts Center, the Chatham Children's Fund, and the Angel Fund, according to Rogers.

“It's important for the CMA to be able to give back to the community by providing free events to celebrate Chatham and with financial support,” she said in an email. “We are very grateful to the bidders who support this event!”