One of the highlights of Chicagoland SF Cons is the art auction. This happens on Saturday, from 8-something PM until done. This usually means a conflict with the masquerade. However, the auction is much less crowded and at least as entertaining, with (by definition) audience participation. mia_mcdavid and I always choose to go to the auction. Chicago Fandom has several talented auctioneers, led by Bob Passovoy for at least the last three decades, who have lightened the wallets of thousands of fans (including us) to general merriment. Having the auction on Saturday night helps: Alcohol is an excellent financial lubricant. mia_mcdavid has often served as a runner and occasionally as an auctioneer.

This year relatively few pieces of submitted art got the necessary bids to make it to auction. However, there were quite a few charity donations to provide additional scope for the auctioneers’ talents. A piece of frozen lightning was produced on the spot and auctioned off for a substantial sum. I don’t remember the winning bid but it was far beyond the $75 that mia_mcdavid offered. There were also two Uranotype photographs from Fermilab. I was tempted by those, but I had already spent my limit:

The artist guests of honor at Windycon were Phil and Kaja Foglio. Long ago Phil had drawn a Unix T-Shirt (Background here). One of those shirts was offered as part of the charity auction. I got it for $40.

It is a size M, which would be tight for me now. That’s OK, I have no intention of wearing it. I just have to figure out a way to display it.