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Art Auction Benefits CMC Students
-By Joy Fitzpatrick
In an evening filled with benevolence, the Copper Mountain College (CMC) Foundation held its eighth annual art auction to benefit a scholarship program for CMC students. The event took place on Saturday, Feb 26 at the Helen Gray Education Center in Joshua Tree, California.
Chief Instructional Officer and Dean of Educational Services Michael Murillo auctioned off more than 50 donated art objects, many from area artists.
Murillo explained, �The thing is to bid as high as you can... it�s okay to bid against yourself!� .
The evening started with a silent auction at 6 p.m. while guests were entertained with the live music of �Condor� by David and Teresa Doolittle. Food was provided and a no-host bar was available. Admission was free with the option to donate ten dollars for a bidding number. The live auction started at 7 p.m. The event was well attended and smiles and laughter abounded as guests enjoyed the energetic bidding. A gourd by Lupe Molina entitled �Turtle Dreaming� brought in the highest bid at 635-dollars.
Murillo stated, �I have several of Lupe�s gourds. This one is very fragile. It�s a very thin walled gourd and we�ve talked for years how she engraves on them and paints them and she makes them just for our auction.�
The final bid of 505-dollars for an original oil painting by Chuck Caplinger entitled �Red Liz� went to the Boys� & Girls� Club of Yucca Valley. The rest of the proceeds, approximately 12 thousand-dollars, were divided with 75 percent going into the Alumni Scholarship fund and 25 percent going to promote the Arts at CMC.
Murillo was previously an art instructor and knows most of the artists in the basin area. He was asked for ideas to raise funds for the Alumni Scholarships and he proposed an art auction. He thought it would only last a few years. Eight years later, it is going strong and is the biggest fund raiser benefiting the students.
Scholarships are available to CMC�s full or part-time students and high school students planning on attending CMC. There is one general application for all the scholarships and it is available at CMC�s admissions office. For more information contact Laurel Quickenton at CMC�s admissions office (760) 366-3791 ext. 5889 or toll free at (866)366-3791 ext. 5889.
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CMC, Dean Murillo holds up a wooden bowl for auction. (Photo by Joy Fitzpatrick)
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