More than 250 masked revelers and friends of Vashon Center for the Arts attended the organization’s annual gala art auction, “Masquerade,” held Saturday, Sept. 21, at the arts center.

In the spirited “raise the paddle” portion of the night, auction-goers pledged more than $110,000 for VCA’s scholarship fund for its education programs — the most ever raised in a single night for the scholarship coffers.

The evening included the culmination of a silent art auction — held over the past three weeks in VCA’s gallery — that included donations by more than 70 local artists, as well as a live auction of works by other notable Vashon artists and a slate of high-end experiences, including trips, concert tickets and exclusive dinners.

The auction’s top-selling item was a one-week stay in Provence, France, which sold twice, for $7,500 each time.

The top price for a work of art — $4,500 — went to a painting by Steffon Moody, created on the spot during the auction, depicting VCA’s atrium bathed in pink light and filled with well-heeled art aficionados in evening attire. Another oil painting, a still life of an apple and vase by David Kroll, sold for $3,250.

Another highlight of the evening was a surprise appearance on the stage by Noelani Pantastico and James Yoichi Moore, Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers and founders of the Seattle Dance Collective, who announced that their new dance company would return to VCA in July of 2020. The dance collective’s inaugural program, held last July, was heralded throughout the dance world in Seattle and beyond and sold out its four performances at VCA.

According to Allison Halstead Reid, the organization’s interim executive director, total auction proceeds are still being totaled and will be reported soon. She said she was immensely grateful to all — including contributing artists and volunteers — who made the evening such a success.