FARMINGTON -- Nearly 150 original works of art created by 65 artists and craftspeople from around the region will be auctioned off Saturday at the second annual Fine Arts Auction.

The event will raise money for the Fairbanks School Neighborhood Association, which has reconstructed the 19th century Fairbanks School in Farmington into a community center. The auction will be in the Bass Room at Franklin Memorial Hospital on Wilton Road.

Items can be viewed during a social hour from 5 to 6 p.m. and the auction, led by Paul Mills, will begin at 6 p.m.

Up for bid are paintings in oils and watercolors, prints and photographs, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, blown glass and handcrafted furniture. Tickets are $15 per person, $25 per couple or $90 for a table of eight and are sold at Mickey's Hallmark or the Calico Patch in downtown Farmington. There will a cash bar and refreshments provided by the Franklin Memorial catering staff.

Last year, the auction raised $15,000 and the Association cleared $8,000 after paying artists' commissions, Association spokesman Cindy Kemble said.

"This is a real gala event. If people are interested in art and want to see what the area has to offer, this is their chance," said Kemble.

The schoolhouse was destroyed by fire more than a decade ago and was rebuilt using donations and state and federal grants. The building construction is complete, but $6,000 is needed to buy appliances and tables and chairs for the 120-seat function room, Kemble said.

A commercially-licensed, shared-use kitchen for agricultural, educational and training purposes that will be available to food entrepreneurs starting or expanding their business is also planned.

Kemble said the school's first rental event is June 7, when a statewide church organization will rent the space to hold its annual meeting. The Fairbanks Road building currently houses the Care & Share Food Pantry in the basement and a soon-to-be-named, nonprofit organization plans to lease office space on the first floor to use for training, Kemble said.

The renovations were paid for with $350,000 in loans and grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a capital campaign that rose more than $107,000.

Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991

bjespersen@centralmaine.com