Annual Historic Art Auction At Rockport Art Association The Rockport Art Association will hold its annual historic art auction on Satruday, May 5th at its 12 Main Street facility. A week-long preview, including a special evening reception from 4:00 ? 7:00 the evening before the auction, will begin on Friday, April 27th , and continue right up until hammer time at 2:00 PM. Rockport Art, now in its 90th year, was founded in 1921 in the studio of artist Aldro T. Hibbard, NA by him and a group of like minded artists. It was their vision and hope that by creating a venue for national artists to show and collaborate, this beautiful seaside village would become a mecca for other artists.. Because of this dream, Rockport and the RAA have grown to hold a unique prominence in the art world for painters, sculptors, graphic artists and photographers. Through the years, RAA artists have included numerous National Academicians, members of the American Watercolor Society and other prestigious organizations too numerous to mention. Antonio Cirino (1889-1983) one of the RAA founders, bequeathed his art to the Association with the stipulation that it be auctioned to help support the organization. The auction quickly evolved to include other historic Cape Ann artists, and has been the Association's major annual fund-raising event since, annually including works by Antonio Cirino, Aldro Hibbard, Anthony Thieme, Theresa Bernstein, William Myerowitz, Harrison Cady, Emile Gruppe, Paul Strisik, Frederick Mulhaupt, Marguerite Pearson, John Carlson and many more. For many of the visitors from around the country who come to the annual auction, it has also become a traditional home-coming event.