As Reported by Rose Cooper
Wilmington News Journal

The Wilmington Mural Portrait Auction Sunday evening at the General Denver brought in almost $18,000, according to Grant Peelle, auctioneer.

"The big champion of the night was $2,000, which was brought in live," Peelle said.

Peelle said the top-selling portrait was for a man approximately 40 to 60 years of age wearing a straw hat and standing under the clock. The portrait will be in the Balloon Launch area of the mural.

"Pets were some of the more popular of the figures that sold," Peelle said.

He called the auction a "tremendous success."

The right to pose for Figure No. 14, which was offered exclusively on eBay, raised $760 and received 32 bids. "Nine unique people bid on the eBay right to pose," Peelle said.

No. 14 is for an adult male or female - one of the market vendors.

Honnerlaw & Peelle Auctions provided live, online bidding.

The age, gender, pose and general characteristics for each of the 28 figures were pre-determined by the artist. Figures included children and adults as well as a cat and two dogs.

A total of 28 portraits were auctioned for the "right to pose" as a model for the figures to be included in the Main Street Market Mural.

The mural is located at 63 W. Main Street in downtown Wilmington, next to the General Denver Hotel.

The portraits will be added to the mural of a large blue hot air balloon, and will include a breezeway and bakery shop, cheese shop, meat shop, fruit, veggie and sweet corn shops and the balloon launch area.

The auction received international coverage. It peaked the interest of Wilmingtonians scattered around the country.

The Downtown Community Improvement Corporation (DWCIC) partnered with the city of Wilmington, Honnerlaw & Peelle Auctions, and mural artist Jason Morgan to auction the "right to pose" portraits.

Funds to create the downtown mural were donated by an anonymous donor.

The net proceeds from Sunday's benefit auction will go to the DWCIC Art Fund to support future public art projects in downtown Wilmington.