Sale Timeline
All times USA Mountain Time
April 12, 2024, 5:00 p.m. – Absentee Buyer ballot sets go on sale; La Luz de Taos exhibition opens in Taos; virtual exhibition is available online. Absentee Buyers may begin transmitting their choices and priorities for ballot placement via a GoogleForm (link supplied to you after purchase via email). Gala tickets are also on sale
June 12, noon – Ballot sales for Absentee Buyers ends
June 12, 2:00 p.m. – Ballot placement for Absentee Buyers ends; no more ballot placement directions will be entertained after this time
June 14, 5:00 p.m. – Gala ticketholders preview and exhibition closing celebration, The Lunder Research Center, Taos. No ballots will be available for placement during the preview
June 15, 5:00 p.m. – Gala celebration begins at El Monte Sagrado Resort, Taos. Gala ticketholders receive their ballot sets upon checking in at the Gala venue and may start placing them immediately; artwork will be on display in the Rio Grande Ballroom
6:55 p.m. – Ballot placement for ticketholders ends
7:00 p.m. – Live ballot draw and winning names posting begins. Secret bids for the three artworks being sold in that fashion will be pulled from the bid boxes and privately reviewed to determine highest bidder for each.
Approximately 7:30 p.m. – When all draws are made and names posted, a 10-minute window begins to allow winners of multiple draws to accept or decline to buy
Approximately 7:40 p.m. – If necessary, those who have been “promoted” to the top of a draw list (if the first buyer declines) will have 10 minutes to accept or decline to buy
Approximately 7:50 p.m. – If necessary, a second draw will take place for any unclaimed artworks
8:00 p.m. - Onsite payment and pickup process begins
June 18 – Shipping process begins
What do fixed price and
secret-bid mean?
For the fixed-price draw, the price listed in the catalog is the price the buyer will pay. Unlike an auction, there is no bidding in a fixed-price draw.
For the three works being sold via secret bid, each bidder decides their final price, writes it on their bid ballot, and their bid ballot is placed in a secure box until the sale time when they are reviewed privately by CSHS staff. Highest bidder for each work wins. See the section “How does the sale work?” for additional details.
I cannot attend the Gala on June 15. Can I participate in the sale as an absentee?
Yes, see the Absentee Buyers section below.
How does the sale work?
Each ticket buyer and absentee buyer is assigned a ballot set with a unique Buyer Number. The set consists of one ballot for each piece of art. For each draw-sale artwork a buyer wishes to purchase, write your name on the corresponding ballot, and deposit the ballot into the box next the artwork when it is on display at the June 15 Gala at El Monte Sagrado Resort in Taos, between 5:00 and 6:55 p.m. On-site buyers will receive their ballot set when they check in for the Gala.
At 7:00 p.m. the process of randomly drawing ballots for artworks will begin. Up to three names will be drawn for each artwork and posted in the order they were drawn. If the person whose name is drawn first is present, they will have 10 minutes to accept or decline to purchase the artwork. (Absentees, see Absentee Buyer section below for the procedure.) If declined, the option to purchase will pass to the next name drawn. This process will repeat if necessary.
For the three secret-bid artworks: if you wish to bid on Lot 14 (by Glenn Dean), Lot 18 (Logan Maxwell Hagege), or Lot 31 (Mark Maggiori), write your bid on the corresponding ballot and place in the bid box next to each artwork. At 7:00 p.m., the bids will be extracted from the boxes and the high bid for each determined. If there are multiple bids that are the same, those ballots will be replaced in the box and the winner drawn from the box in the Ballroom. The name of the winning bidder will be posted, and if that person is present, they will have 10 minutes to accept or decline to purchase the artwork (for example, if they have won a draw sale that they prefer). (Absentees, see Absentee Buyer section below for the procedure.) If declined, the option to purchase will pass to the next highest bidder.
If I put ballots and/or bids in for several pieces, am I responsible for buying all of them if my name is drawn for more than one?
No, though you may do so. If you are in attendance during the live draw, you can view the winning names after the draw finishes; they will be posted next to each artwork. The same is true for the winning bidder for the three secret-bid sales. If you wish to decline purchase of an artwork, you will notify a nearby sale monitor to cross your name off the list to allow the next on the list to make the purchase. If you participate in the sale and win any draws or auctions, you are expected to purchase at least one work. For Absentee Buyers, see the section below for the procedures. Once a winning buyer is declared, the artwork is considered sold, and all sales are final.
Special process
for matching items
There are a few sale items with special relationships that will be handled in a slightly different manner:
The two historic Navajo textiles (Lots 32 and 33) that are featured in Mark Maggiori’s painting (Lot 31) will be offered for purchase to the winning bidder on the painting, as a courtesy. If the painting winner declines to purchase one or both, the normal draw sale for the textiles will proceed.
The jewelry by Maria Samora will be offered as a set (Lot 49) and as three individual pieces (Lots 50, 51 and 52). The set will be drawn for first. If no one has placed a ballot for the entire set, then the ballots for each piece will be drawn as normal.
Can I purchase more than one ticket to increase the odds of my name being drawn?
One Gala ticket includes one ballot set, and multiples may be purchased subject to space limitations. Absentee ballot sets are limited to one per person.
How do I pay for the artwork?
All purchases must be paid in full the night of the sale unless you have registered as an absentee buyer. PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover are accepted and are subject to a 3% fee. Cash and checks are also welcomed and incur no surcharge. Absentee buyers, please see the section below for additional details.
How do I get my artwork?
If you are present at the Gala on June 15, you may take your artwork with you upon completion of full payment—it will be packed in bubble wrap. If your art will be shipped, or picked up at another time, you’ll give contact details at checkout and a staff person will contact you after June 18 to coordinate.
What about shipping?
Packing and shipping, if required, is paid for by the buyer. A staff member will contact you about expenses, choice of carrier, and coordinating delivery. Shipping coordination begins June 18.
Absentee Buyers
How do I participate in the art sale if I cannot attend the gala?
Register as an absentee buyer by purchasing a set of absentee ballots for $50. Absentee registration will be available beginning April 12, 2024, and is limited to one registration per email address. Absentee registration closes at noon on June 12, and absentee ballot placement ends at 2 p.m June 12. At the time of purchase, you will be required to supply credit card information to be kept on file in the event you are a winning buyer. Credit card information for both successful and unsuccessful buyers will be shredded as soon as the sales and shipping process is complete.
As an absentee buyer, if my name is drawn for more than one artwork do I have to purchase all of them?
Not unless you wish to. When you purchase a set of ballots, they will not be mailed to you. Via email, you will receive a link to a GoogleDoc that will record your contact information, which draw-sale artworks you are interested in and any bids for the secret-bid artworks. You will also be asked how many of those artworks you are willing to purchase, and what priority order you wish to designate. Your ballots will be placed in the draw boxes or bid boxes for the desired artworks and your instructions kept on file. During the sale, if your name is drawn for multiple artworks, your CSHS representative will consult your written instructions and decline purchase of one or more of them if warranted.
How do I find out if I won a draw if I’m not there?
You will be contacted within 24 hours if you have successfully won the right to purchase artwork.
How do I pay?
When you are contacted, you will be asked to authorize payment using one of two methods:
1. A deposit equal to 10% of the purchase price, charged to your credit card on file, with the balance remitted via mailed check.
2. Payment in full via to your credit card on file, subject to a 3% surcharge to defray fees charged to our organization.
When and how do I get my artwork?
The shipping process begins on June 18. Please note that packing and shipping, if required, is paid for by the buyer. A staff member will contact you to coordinate pickup or delivery and payment of any expense. We will ship your purchase upon receipt of full payment for the artwork and agreement on packing and shipping charges.
Lodging
Where should I stay?
There are several nearby lodging options including:
El Monte Sagrado
*Saturday Gala venue*
Special rate of $329 for Taos Mountain King room
or $369 for a Native American 1 bedroom Suite
These rates are available June 11 - 17
To reserve in our room block and obtain the special rates,
call (505) 836-6700 and use the group code 202406CFGA
or reserve online using this special link to group 202406CFGA
Hotel Don Fernando
575-751-4444
Regularly $202 - 232 (breakfast not included)
Old Taos Guesthouse
Cady and Bob Aspinwall, 575-758-5448
Regularly $159 - $249
Sagebrush Inn
Book at 575-758-2254
Regularly $179 - $239
Taos Valley Lodge
Book at 575-737-0447
Regularly $165 - $225
Taos Inn
Book through website or call 855-963-2180
Regularly $227 - $354
La Fonda Taos
575-758-2211
Regularly $189 - $499