Laguna Art Museum Auction Sells Painting For Record $42K

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Contemporary artist T.S. Harris announced her latest success with the sale of her original work, "Horizons."

The 36 by 24-inch oil painting from Harris' "Lost Holiday" collection sold for a record high of $42,000, nearly eight times the initial estimated value, according to a recent release.

The painting was sold as a part of the Laguna Art Museum’s 39th annual California Cool Art Auction which closed on February 6th, 2021. The San Luis Obispo artist designed the piece for the auction, but the bidding nearly took her breath away.

"When I saw it was already up to $26,000, I couldn’t even watch anymore," the artist says of the auction. "I was too nervous and my husband had to keep me posted. When it closed at $42,000 we jumped up and hugged, feeling like something amazing just happened."

The virtual event featured museum-curated works by over 100 of California’s most coveted artists with a portion of proceeds benefiting the museum's exhibitions and education programs, a spokesperson for the art museum says.

"Harris has shown and sold paintings with the Museum previously, however, this was the first time her work was selected as a featured painting to be used in promotional materials," a spokesperson for the artist stated a news release. "This is a benchmark sale for Harris who in the last few years has quietly emerged as one of today's most impressive talents sharing her distinctive aesthetic with the rest of the world."

The artist's work is currently on display at a number of Delta Sky Lounges nationwide and notable fans include author Glennon Doyle and journalist and CNN correspondent Dana Bash.

For more information on T.S. Harris, you can visit her website.

T.S. Harris reflected on her work she calls "sunshine noir."

“I painted Horizons with the museum auction in mind. It has a classic, timeless feel with subtle optimism regarding the future. I thought it would be such a great piece for where humanity is at the moment," she said. "The closing price was beyond anything I could have hoped for. It took my breath away!"

This summer, her work will be featured in a solo exhibition at Skidmore Contemporary Art Gallery in Santa Monica, CA.

Harris says her new work is inspired by found photos and film stills from the past, as are most of her works of art.

She uses the foundation of mid-century imagery to bring the past forward in a meaningful way, "showing how similar and connected we all are," Harris says. "The beautiful and dramatic paintings express the freedom of summer, the joy of being alive, and the longing to hold onto the precious, but fleeting moments of our life."