By Emma Stone
Twenty-five painted puppies glimmered under the studio lights at Buie’s Photo Shoppe and Studio waiting to find a new home.
On Nov. 9 from 6:30-7 p.m., a silent auction was held for the public to bid on statues of bulldog puppies.
Tori Davis, director of marketing and communication for Experience Ruston, helped with planning the auction.
“We had many people attempt some strategies,” said Davis. “Some would bid $100 to hopefully weed out others. It was really fun to see people so excited.”
Each puppy had a bid sheet placed in front, so that anyone could place a bid. Starting at $50, participants would need to write their name, phone number and price to bid.
“Artists received 50 percent of the final bid,” said Davis. “We wanted to make sure artists are getting paid and recognized for their talent and contribution to the Ruston Cultural District.”
The puppy with the highest bid was Louisa Bull Poppy by Madalyn Duncan going for $380. It featured a mixture of blue and red flowers.
“What was really cool to see was that we had five or six people who had bought puppies in the past,” said Davis. “I loved that we had people becoming collectors.”
After a good turnout, the Ruston Cultural District hopes to create more interactive events like these in the future.
