Anything worth doing is worth doing twice, the first time quick and dirty and the second time, the best way you can.” Arthur Leonard Schawlow, American Physicist
Lest I be misunderstood (as I may most likely be), the quote above is not meant to disparage the first PBA Art Auction held last December 2020. It was, without question, a very successful event raising ample funds for the PBA and its various projects and activities. No small feat given that it was organized and held under COVID-19 conditions and strict community quarantine restrictions.
Imitation (or in this case, repetition), as Oscar Wilde once said, is the sincerest form of flattery (there’s a second part to that quote but that’s irrelevant for this write-up). The first PBA Art Auction was so successful that the PBA decided to do a repeat; a Part 2; another virtual/online Art Auction.
The ADHOC committee members for the PBA’s second Art thought however that maybe we can change some things. Maybe make the bidding period longer (03 to 17 December 2021) and have the bidding through FB (all via FB post/comment), doing away with a live auction?
We did and Voila! The second PBA Art Auction – all via FB.
No live auction, no host; just the art and the bid.
With paintings, sculptures, and antique items/books from ARTipolo and the collections of PBA member Divine Pedron (the PBA’s resident art expert) and together with Trustee Bingbing Villareal-Fernando, PBA’s online art bidding doyen, and former PBA Treasurer (currently, PBA Trustee and 3rd Vice President), the PBA was again able to put together and offer interesting and exciting art pieces for potential bidders. Jing Osias, the PBA’s Office Manager, created the FB page “PBA Art for a Cause,” put together a catalogue of all the art pieces available for bidding, and posted this catalogue in the FB page. All interested bidders joined the FB page and started bidding on 03 December 2021.
If you think that bidding solely through FB posts/comments made the second PBA Art Auction boring, think again. I, for one, having set my eyes on a painting of a pedal cycle, was on tenterhooks for a good (almost) hour waiting to know whether my bid was the winning bid. The back and forth, pitting one bid with another, was NOT, in any way, less exciting just because it was done through FB posts/comments. Thankfully, the other bidder, maybe having sensed my (unreasonable) pining for the same painting, stopped bidding. I then cried “YES!” raised my right fist and then said “HA!” all the while with a silly grin on my face.
A personal note to the “other bidder”: I know who you are and my sincerest thanks for “giving in” and allowing me to get that painting.
By 17 December 2021, the PBA had successfully auctioned off 30 art pieces. There were some bidders who were still interested in acquiring more art pieces that the PBA had to extend the bidding period to 31 December 2021.
Again, just like the first PBA Art Auction, the Repeat was a resounding success!
Special thanks to President Rodelle Bolante (who, by the way, not only led the ADHOC Committee but also drove to ARTipolo to get the art pieces), Past President Rico Domingo, Trustee and Vice President Bingbing Fernando, PBA member Divine Pedron, Jing Osias, and to all the officers and trustees of the PBA for your support!
Looks like a three-peat is on its way.
