An art auction held earlier this month has raised $14,000 to benefit four schools that were affected by the Maui wildfires last summer. The auction featured artwork from students and teachers of Lāhaināluna schools, as well as local art professionals.
Judd Levy, a science teacher at Lāhaināluna High School, organized the auction. According to a news release from the Hawaii State Department of Education, the initiative was supported by Island Art Galleries, Maui Hands Gallery, and the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation.
The auction showcased 48 pieces of art, eight of which were created by Lāhaināluna High School art students. Four pieces were reserved for an in-person auction that took place on Dec. 2. The highest bid was $3,000 for a piece by artist Eric Robinson. An artwork created by Levy fetched a winning bid of $1,100.
The Aloha for Lahaina Art Auction consisted of two parts: an online auction that concluded on Nov. 30 and a live auction held on Dec. 2 at Island Art Galleries. According to the auctions' website, the online event offered paintings, giclee prints, jewelry and mixed media projects while the live event featured four paintings from Judd Levy, Zhou Ling, Eric Robison and Mykung Yee. A pair of large braided hoop earrings donated by Maui Hands sold for $100 in the online auction; meanwhile a 24-inch by 36-inch Giclee from Christian R. Lassen received a winning bid of $500.
Levy expressed his satisfaction with the event's outcome in the news release saying: "The auction was a huge success. We had a wonderful turnout of enthusiastic bidders, both online and in person, who generously supported our cause." He also highlighted the excitement during the live auction where there was "fierce competition" for the artworks, including those created by students. "They were overjoyed to see their creations being appreciated and valued by the audience. It was a truly rewarding experience for them and for me," Levy said.