MARION — Going, going, gone!

The Marion Art Center wrapped up its Summer Art Auction Days on Saturday, July 31 which featured almost 375 pieces of art donated by MAC members.

Though a final count hadn’t yet been reached when buyers arrived to pick up their winnings, Marion Art Center Executive Director Jodi Stevens said that the sale had made over $15,000 for the center, including funding from sponsors.

“We did really well,” she said.

The online auction took the place of one of the art center’s largest fundraisers of the year, the Cocktails by the Sea silent auction. Stevens said that the success of the online auction last year during covid encouraged them to stick with it this year.

When the dust settled, only about 36 pieces went unsold which MAC Board of Directors Vice-President Wendy Cullum said was “even better than normal” when you might expect about 20% of items not to sell.

The most expensive piece sold at the auction went for $810 to an out-of-town bidder who requested that the piece, a woodcut print by Grace Arnold Albee titled “Flat Stone Cove,” be sent to them.

Both Stevens and Cullum thanked the “very generous donors” of the MAC for their donated items and for their bids, as many of those who gave also bought.

“All the donors become bidders,” Cullum said.

One Marion resident, Bianca Hebbel who bought two pieces at the auction, said she stopped by the art center building while she was passing by and ended up finding several things she liked and later bid on.

“It was just so much fun,” she said. Adding that she loved the “variety between all the pieces.”

Kaylan Valadao, who also bought two pieces, said she participated in the auction last year and had so much fun she wanted to do it again.

“It seemed more intense this time,” she said. “I missed out on the Gloucester Harbor painting by just a few seconds.”