08/28/2026
Contemporary craft at an old-fashioned auction 💚
Here are just a few of the more than 200 works that found new homes last weekend at the 41st Annual Penland Benefit Auction.
The auction was at the heart of an action-packed weekend that also included demonstrations in the studios, visits with Penland’s resident artists, an extraordinary exhibition and artist talk at the Penland Gallery, and silent auctions filled with remarkable work.
More than 100 invited artists with connections to Penland generously contributed work in clay, glass, metals, textiles, wood, books, and more. Auctioneer Jesse Miller called the lots, paddles flew, and the stories behind the objects moved off the pages of the catalog and into the room.
We’re delighted to share that the weekend raised more than $700,000 in support of Penland, including $270,000 through Fund-a-Need for the iron and metals studios.
Thank you to the collectors, volunteers, supporters, staff, and friends who made the big auction possible—and especially to the artists whose remarkable work was at the center of it all.
Check the link below for a full recap and more photos…
