Who needs eBay when you've got the Great TV Auction? WPTV-TV Channel 10/36's annual televised auction, which airs April 28 through May 6 on Channel 10, is Milwaukee's personal purveyor of all things biddable -- from spa treatment packages to antique musical equipment to dining with celebrities.
But a specific point of pride for the Channel 10/36 Friends is the auction's collection of original, unique works of art donated by talented Wisconsin artists, and it is in this capacity that the Channel 10/36 auction has one-upped eBay.
For those who want a sneak peek or just first dibs on the goods, the Channel 10/36 Friends host a free art preview to showcase artwork, antiques and collectibles that will be available for bid during the live, nine-day television auction.
On Saturday, April 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the public is invited to visit the Channel 10/36 Friends Building, 12560 W. Townsend Ave. in Brookfield, to peruse the artwork and place advance bids.
This year's featured artists are:
- Lynn Casper of Waukesha, who is known for historically accurate period pieces, as well as her University of Wisconsin series.
- Andy Goralski of Oconomowoc, a sports artist who has painted Brett Favre, Bart Starr, Barry Alvarez and many other national sports celebrities.
- Don Grzybowski of Colorado Springs, Colo., a pastel artist who often incorporates marbles into his signature pieces.
- Charlotte Fung Miller of Mukwonago, an accomplished Chinese brush artist.
- Tom Nachreiner of Delafield, a fine artist who often paints "plein air" (outdoors in natural light using a portable easel), capturing Milwaukee cityscapes with his contemporary impressionistic style.
- Jeff Sadowski of Brookfield, an accomplished contemporary fantasy artist who credits include creating stage backdrops for Tina Turner, Santana and The Grateful Dead.
In addition, the Wisconsin Originals Collection was added as a signature element of the Channel 10 auction in 2004 in response to viewers' requests for more art. The collection features one piece of original, dimensional artwork from nine artists throughout the state valued at $300 or more. Just one item will be available for bid each evening of the nine-day auction.
The Wisconsin Originals Collection artists include:
- Yussuf Baba of Milwaukee, an international jewelry artist from the Bantu tribe in Somalia.
- Meri Berghauer of Elm Grove, creator of Bowzr, 3-D terrier-inspired sculptures, and owner of Art 'N Oddities, a fine craft gallery in West Allis.
- Dean Graber of Rio, Wis., a professional woodworker who creates hand-made furniture.
- James Koch of Oak Creek, a wood sculptor who is known for his long wooden, painted snakes, canes and walking sticks.
- Marlene Millevolte of Hartland, a potter known for her delicate, elegant and feminine pieces.
- Jeremy Popelka of Sturgeon Bay, an award-winning cast sculptor whose blown work is made in the ancient Venetian style of Murrini.
- Dorothy Schutte of Mukwonago, an accomplished weaver who creates one-of-a-kind apparel.
- Paul Stephan of Milwaukee, a glassblower who focuses on glass jewelry, marbles, stemware and vessels.
- Tom Queoff of Milwaukee, a renowned metal sculptor who is also the captain of the USA Snow Sculpting team.
The Channel 10 Great TV Auction is a live, nine-day, on-air fund-raising event hosted by the Channel 10/36 Friends, Inc. to support Milwaukee Public Television. The first televised Channel 10/36 Auction was conducted in 1969. In 2005, the 37th Auction raised over $1,000,000 to insure the continuation of quality public television in Southeastern Wisconsin.
The Channel 10/36 Web site is 10-36friends.org. Auction items can be viewed here buynsellit.com.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
