ArtWorks, an arts and education organization founded in 1996, provides summer jobs ($5.50 to $6 an hour) in the arts for kids ages 12 to 18. The organization is counting on the auction to help fund the program and pay the young artists (it gets 25 percent of the sale price of every piece). Meet three of program's beneficiaries and one of their teachers, also a beneficiary.

Julia Davenport, 17, of Finneytown, senior, Finneytown High School, co-creator of These Are Not Bats and Cincinnati Fireworks: Based on her experience with ArtWorks, Julia plans to go to the University of Cincinnati (she already has been accepted) and eventually study scenic design at its College-Conservatory of Music. For her, ArtWorks was a major learning experience: "It was different being thrown in with all different types of people with so many differing interests in the arts. The fun was learning to work with them and learning how much they had to contribute to my learning."

Martin Malone, 16, of Evanston, junior, Walnut Hills High School, sole creator of Where's Mr. Red and co-creator of These Are Not Bats: This is Martin's third summer working for ArtWorks. What he likes about it, he says, "is how it helps you develop your art skills. You get to work with new materials you may not have encountered. You get to meet new people and also lay groundwork for your career." Besides art, Martin's talents lean toward math and science, so he's looking to a career in architecture.

Andrea Larsgaard, 17, of Mount Lookout, junior, Ursuline Academy, creator of Three Strikes and You're Out, also worked on As American as Apple Pie and Alphabat: What she discovered in two summers with ArtWorks, is that it "helps me become more interested and appreciative of the works of others. As a teenager with no chance to get out and work with other artists, this really fills a huge gap. And we get paid for it." More important, she says, "It also gives you some career ideas. Right now, I'm thinking a joint venture with architecture and interior design."

Jenny Ustick, 26, of Withamsville, grad student at UC and ArtWorks summer instructor: "This has been a wonderful chance for me to gain experience. I'll be teaching in winter quarter and this was a great way to get my feet wet working with young artists.

"And I learned from them. It reminded me of my time in high school and the ideas I had there but lost touch with. This got me back in touch. There's a certain type of creativity with no rules that you learn when working with these guys."

Jim Knippenberg