Arts & Entertainment
UPDATE: Bulldogs Unleashed Auction Totals and Winners
A total of $55,000 was raised Saturday and the remaining 14 fiberglass dogs found a home after a live auction and dinner event. This was the grand finale for Bulldogs Unleashed, Batavia's celebrated community art project.
Community groups and organizers on Saturday banded together to find a home for 14 artistic bulldogs.
In return for their efforts, $55,000 was raised for Batavia organizations.
"We are thrilled," said Coordinator Joanne Spitz after the event.
Find out what's happening in Bataviawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The artworks, part of this year’s , received new owners through a live auction and dinner party on Saturday.
Bulldogs were given a proper send off at the Fox Valley Country Club where business owners, Bulldog artists and Batavians packed the clubhouse.
Find out what's happening in Bataviawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Big Dogs, Bigger Spenders
The highest bid was $7,000 for .
Other big money dogs included at $5,800 and with $5,400.
The Beatles dog sold for $4,300 to Jeff Matter of . Shelby Anderson, artist of the Beatles dog, was thrilled to see her project go to a fellow music lover.
"Everyone loves the Beatles and I really wanted to give tribute to another form of art," Anderson said, recapping her inspiration for her project.
Another bulldog sold early on in the auction was at $1,900.
"I found out about the contest from my art teacher," Domena said. "I was a senior when I created the bulldog, so it represented all the things I was excited to be a part of during my senior year of high school."
It was a successful evening for Batavia. Spitz said the idea came from the Cowpainters program and Cows on Parade in Chicago. This program has been one that was designed to help cities and non-profits create and host creative fundraisers.
Bulldog Auction Bid Amounts
Staff Seargent: $7000
American: $5800
Prairie Dog: $5400
Bulldog Bikes: $4600
Beatles: $4300
Sherlock Bones: $4100
Pawprints: $4100
Groovy: $3700
Eye of Bulldog: $3300
Windmill: $3100
Fermi-Lap: $3000
Pieces of Batavia: $2500
Windmill Farm: $2200.
A Bulldogs Life:$1900
Artists get 20% of the winning bid.
All proceeds from the event will go toward:
- Batavia Foundation for Educational Excellence
- Batavia Library Foundation
- Batavia Parks Foundation.
To read more about some of the artists behind the bulldog creations, go to batavia.patch.com/arts. On that page, you will find Q+A chats with most of the Bulldogs Unleashed artists. More are coming soon!
