You’ll want to get there early and scout out your favorites.

Maybe it’s the painting done by the team of Alabama First Lady Patsy Riley and Sylacauga artist Judy Hartsfield that catches your fancy, or perhaps the piece done by pairing Sen. Jim Preuitt and Talladega artist Tommy Moorehead.

The first ever Celebrity Art Auction and Concert for Comer Museum and Arts Center is set for Oct. 17 and there are 41 pieces of original art ready to be sold to the highest bidder.

The event has been in the works for months and will supply funding for the operations of Comer Museum and Arts Center, said Kathy Marlow, museum board member and an organizer of the Celebrity Auction.

“We’ve talked about an event like this before and now we’ve put it all together,” she said. “We’re all about art here, so that’s what we should be doing.”

There will be a preview of the art at Comer Museum from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. prior to the actual auction.

All who are interested in getting a look at the paintings ahead of time are urged to stop by the museum and begin making their selections.

The actual event takes place in the Sylacauga High School Auditorium, where each piece will be auctioned individually in a live auction by auctioneer Stevie Wyatt.

In addition to the 31 paintings created by the teams of artists and celebrities, there are 11 paintings donated by artists which will be part of the auction as well.

Proceeds from these paintings will be used for a student scholarship program with scholarships to be awarded annually by the museum. Students pursuing art degrees will be considered for the scholarships.

The auction event will begin with the doors opening at 5:45 p.m. at the auditorium and the auction will begin at 7 p.m.

Entertainment lined up includes appearances from vocalist Donnie Kitchens and Nashville recording artists Trey Young and Donnie Roberson and the Mid Life Crisis Band.

The entertainment line up begins at 6:15 with the Mid Life Crisis Band.

“This will be an evening filled with fun or everyone,” Marlow said.

Celebrity artists include Sen. Pruitt; Congressman Mike Rogers; First Lady Patsy Riley; Jim Armstrong; Carol Bates; Childersburg Police Chief Shane Burnette; Patricia Carden; Lauren Eszes; Danny Johnson; Kris Kramer; Mary Lee Swindell; ARC Director Beverly White; Mayor of Childersburg B.J. Meeks; SAFE Director Margaret Morton; TV anchor Mike Royer; Coosa Valley Medical Center CEO Glen Sisk; Dr. Shirley Spears, director of B.B. Comer Memorial Library; Dr. Robert Gray; City Councilmen Jim Heigel and Walt Jacobson; the Reverend Manuel Smith; Sylacauga Police Chief Louis Zook; Miss Sylacauga, Alicia Weathers; Gary “Thunder Wolf” Soyars; Sylacauga High School Principal Mike Hubbard; and Dr. Mike Ivey.

Artists who gave their time to work with the celebrities include Connie Vickers, Alice Thomas, Sandra Holm, Pat Hahn, Dottie Holdren, Larry and Mary Ellen Hurr, Sherra Lou Honeycutt, Chick Lively, Jimmy Reynolds Jr., Ken Schablow, Tommy Moorehead, Judy Hartsfield, Shirley Pody, Mindy Buckley, Lisa Norris and Edward Jennings

Artists donating private pieces to be auctioned for the benefit of a student art scholarship include Jim and John Denny from Alexander City, Koren Lee from Auburn, Dale & Ava Beshears, Elaine Fulbright, Dottie Holdren, Chris Hartsfield, Shirley Pody, Talladega Probate Judge Billy Atkinson and Tommy Aplin.

Tickets for the Celebrity Auction are $10 for general admission and $40 for reserved seats. They may be purchased on line at www.comermuseum.freeservers.com and at the following locations: the chambers of commerce in Sylacauga and Talladega, Comer Museum, at MACDAVID & Co. in Alexander City and Catherine’s Market on Russell Farm Road off Highway 63. You may also call the museum at 256/245-4016 for information.

“The art being auctioned is a one time opportunity to have work by these celebrities and artists,” Marlow said. “Each piece is an original and will not be repeated.”