KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Kayla Desroches/KMXT
The Kodiak Arts Council’s annual Arts and Adventure auction has a fitting literary theme this year for the Kodiak Archipelago: Treasure Island.
Barbara Russell, chairman of the auction committee, explains a large donation inspired the theme. She says the Arts Council received an ivory model ship which Carl Iyakitan, an artist from St. Lawrence Island, carved in the 1940s.
“And, at the time, it was worth about $25,000, so they’re talking maybe [a] current appraisal around $35,000, if not more. We really don’t know until it’s actually gonna be auctioned off. We’re not auctioning that on Saturday, which is our auction date. It’s actually going be an online auction. It is a little further reach and it was really expensive to get it over here, so we opted to do that.”
The Arts and Adventures auction may have a different theme every year, but it stays true to its name. People get the chance to win adventure prizes along with paintings, prints, and all kinds of crafts, but Russell says the auction began as an arts-only event.
“Then things got added over the years, as I understand it, that kind of went along the adventure side too. So, we’d have trips added or a lot of local people would contribute things like bear watching and bear viewing. This year, we actually even have a couple of trips, one to the Dominican Republic, some to Africa.”
She says the $15 dollar entry fee will include a free drink and attendees may dress up in Treasure Island-themed costumes to compete for season tickets. Participants win according to how much they raise through votes in the form of donations. The event is at 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Kodiak Harbor Convention Center. Check out the Kodiak Arts Council website to learn more.
