The National Education Association (NEA) has teamed up with the NEA Foundation to host “The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse Charity Auction.”

The proceeds derived from the Internet auction will benefit the NEA Foundation’s “Art Inspires Learning, Learning Inspires Art” initiative. This project funds arts education grants for teachers. Follow this link to check out the artwork.

Here’s more from the release: “This initiative was inspired by Eric Carle‘s picture book The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, which celebrates imagination and artistic freedom. Each donated piece of art will feature that artist’s interpretation of a horse and celebrates imagination and the many and varied ways that each artist sees the world around him/her. The auction will include three waves of art: Group 1 will take place October 17th-27th. Group 2 will take place October 31st-November 10th. Group 3 will take place November 14th-24th.”

Participating illustrators include The Very Hungry Caterpillar creator Eric Carle, Harry Potter artist Mary GrandPre and Of Thee I Sing illustrator Loren Long. Some of the Caldecott honorees in this group include David Shannon, Mo Willems and Tomie dePaola. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton and TV personality Al Roker both participated as well.

What piece would you like to bid on?