Tumbleweed Tiny House is being auctioned on eBay

4/4/2012
BY TAHREE LANE
BLADE STAFF WRITER
  • Tumbleweed-Tiny-House-auction

    The Tumbleweed Tiny House, on the steps of the Toledo Museum of Art, was part of the Small Worlds exhibit at the museum.

  • The Tumbleweed Tiny House, on the steps of the Toledo Museum of Art, was part of the Small Worlds exhibit at the museum.
    The Tumbleweed Tiny House, on the steps of the Toledo Museum of Art, was part of the Small Worlds exhibit at the museum.

    Bids will be accepted until 8 p.m. Saturday for the 65-square-foot house parked on the Monroe Street steps of the Toledo Museum of Art. The Tumbleweed Tiny House is for sale on eBay and as of Wednesday, the top bid was $28,100. The house's interior can be seen during museum hours through Saturday. On a 7-foot-by-10-foot trailer, it's fully functional with a tiny living room, kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping loft. It has RV-style hookups for water and electric, but does not have a sewer tank. Outdoor access steps and a ball hitch are included.

    The house was part of the Small Worlds exhibit in the museum earlier this year. It was built with materials and labor donated by The Andersons and Lathrop Company. The estimated retail value of the structure is $38,997. Proceeds from the auction will support the museum's community outreach programs for children. Bids can be placed by going to toledomuseum.org, then clicking on the Tumbleweed Tiny House.

    Also at the museum, Vesuvius and the Villa: New Discoveries in Pompeii will be discussed at a free talk at 7 p.m. April 12 in the Peristyle. John Clarke, a Pompeii expert, will describe ongoing research at Villa Poppaea, on the Bay of Naples three miles from Pompeii, where a massive volcanic eruption occurred in the year 79, burying much of the surrounding area in ash. Excavations have uncovered 99 rooms in the home that is thought to have belonged to Nero's second wife. It was discovered by chance in 1598. Clarke co-directs the Oplontis Project, which is studying the villa. He's also the lead editor of an in-production four-volume electronic publication that includes a fully navigational three-dimensional digital model of the villa, and as part of his presentation, he'll demonstrate key features of the electronic book. The ebook permits viewers to see wall paintings, pavements, finds, and sculpture in real time.

    Two days before his assassination, President Abraham Lincoln wrote a check payable to "Self" in the amount of $800. This and 15 other checks written by U.S. presidents are on view in the Local History and Genealogy department at the Main Library, 325 Michigan St. The checks, owned by Huntington Bank, are part of a 70-check collection appraised for more than $70,000. The display continues through April 28.

    Merce L. Culp's 'Paisley, Butterfly, and Bubblegum' is on view at Starbucks, Levis Commons.
    Merce L. Culp's 'Paisley, Butterfly, and Bubblegum' is on view at Starbucks, Levis Commons.

    Students at Owens Community College are showcasing their work in the ninth annual Juried Student Art Exhibition through April 28 in the Terhune Gallery in the Center for Fine and Performing Arts. A reception and award ceremony will be 4 to 6 p.m. April 14 in the gallery. Fifty-five students enrolled in art courses had a total of 80 pieces accepted into the show.

    Work by Merce L. Culp is displayed at Starbucks, 3145 Levis Commons Blvd., Perrysburg, through May 15. The Bowling Green State University graduate specializes in digital art and graphic design. The exhibit was coordinated by Prizm Creative Community.

    Toledo Artists' Club's 51st Auction begins with a 6 p.m. preview and 7 p.m. auction April 14 at the Maumee Elks Lodge, 139 W. Wayne St., Maumee. Featured will be paintings by Aaron Bivins, Paul Brand, Jim Brower, John Cook, Richard Dziak, Virginia Kretz, Tom Sorrell, and others. Proceeds will support the club's operations and a college scholarship.

    Send items at least two weeks before the event to tlane@theblade.com.