Local artists join middle school students in Mustang auction

Six local artists have joined with students from Mount Vernon Middle School to present a special auction to raise money for the school’s arts programs. The auction is online and open for bidding.

The artists and the students each had a wooden cutout of the schools’ Mustang logo and were asked to express themselves however they desired. The resulting pieces are being auctioned to raise money for the middle school’s PRIDE booster group. Bidding begins at $5 for student pieces and $20 for the artists’ pieces.

“We hope people in the community will bid for these pieces,” said Steve Maravetz, president of the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council, which is helping sponsor the program. “Imagine how exciting it is for a young artist to sell his or her first piece!”

Area artists participating were Karlee Barr, Dale Beeks and his grandson Xander, Amy Bishop, Susan Coleman, Denise Murphy, and Maravetz. A piece by middle school art teacher and artist Mark Benesh is also included in the auction.

The auction runs through December 20.