EGGstravangzana Brings in More Than $95,000

“Merlin” by Deborah Perrino.

According to Kathy Beck, chair of the Public Arts Initiative (PAI) of Egg Harbor, the second EGGstravaganza auction – held Aug. 17 at the Kress Pavilion – was an “egg-normous community success,” with more than 300 people attending the gala event.

“It was standing room only, hanging from the rafters,” said PAI co-chair Bev Prohl. “It was amazing.”

The auction of the artist-created eggs raised an incredible $95,275. The artists will receive half of the selling price of their eggs, and the remainder will go to the PAI for future public-art projects in the village.

Although it was decided not to reveal the eggs’ individual selling prices, Prohl did say that the owl-shaped egg called “Merlin,” by artist Deborah Perrino, took in the highest bid.

“Nothing was outstandingly high or low,” Prohl said of the bidding. “All the artists should be very proud of the work that they did.”

The 27 eggs were on display at business sponsors throughout the village, and the public voted for the People’s Choice Award through forms at four of those locations or online. 

On the day before the auction, all the eggs were put on display in front of the Kress Pavilion. “We brought a voting box to the Kress, and more than 100 votes were placed that afternoon,” Prohl said.

Once the votes were counted, “Ethyl Benedict’s Kodachrome Egg” by Susan Lee won “by a pretty substantial margin,” Prohl said, adding, “but everyone got at least one vote.”

Auction attendees also commented on the wide variety of styles that artists used to create their eggs. 

“There was something to appeal to everybody,” she said.

The PAI teamed with the Egg Harbor Business Association to present this second EGGstravaganza. The first was held in 2014 to celebrate the village’s 50th anniversary, and the next is scheduled for 2024.

“We want to give a thank-you to everyone: the artists, the sponsors, to all the people that voted and attended the auction,” Prohl said.