While we’re on the subject of doing something good, let’s turn our attention to Poketo’s Cancer Benefit and Art Auction going on this Friday. We’re always super behind their projects, but this one hits a cause that’s other than for profit. Forty L.A. artists from Shepard Fairey to Saelee Oh have donated pieces to be sold to caring and generous buyers interested in helping Poketo friend Justin Van Hoy help pay for his ongoing medical treatment after receiving a successful bone marrow transplant. No doubt those of you who are unemployed and thus out of health insurance (hell, I can’t even remember the last time I had health insurance myself) can understand how even a little bit of money can help. It’s a totally win-win situation—you get a great piece of work for a good price, help someone else while doing it and even get to pig out on free food and drinks. The silent auction takes place at the Poketo Studio in L.A. this Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. Does good karma exist? Time to test it out.

When the Storefront for Art and Architecture renovated its New York City space this past summer, some things had to go. Among the items that got the ol’ heave ho were the iconic letters that adorned its facade since 1993. While the concrete creations by Steven Holl and Vito Acconci are no longer out front for visitors to admire, but that doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to the alphabetical art again. If you’ve got a few bucks you can have a historical memento. The Storefront is holding a 2008 Holiday Benefit Auction for four of these lovely letters ( T,F,G, and O). We recommend getting your bid in before the 12 p.m., December 20th deadline. No low ball offers though, as the the bidding starts at $1000 for each piece.

Would you like a cleaner environment? Ride bike. Would you like a Democrat in the White House? Vote for Barack Obama.  Or, mash the two together with this Obama bike that just hit eBay. The bike is designed by activist Dan Funderburgh and his renowned Obama print. This bike isn’t just a print — there is only one and it is up for bids on eBay (guess where the proceeds go). For those of you bikers the specs should be rather pleasing. Have a look on the auction page. Happy bidding.

via Arkitip

It may surprise you but there is more to Playboy than just the articles — there are also cartoons. Over the past 50 years the slightly risqué, yet always humorous, toons have become one of its most well-known features. Now you have the opportunity to snag one of theses original works of art for your personal collection at Playboy: The Art of Beauty. These 17 pieces, picked by Playboy’s art curator Aaron Baker, represent some of the most extraordinary artists that have been showcased over the past half-century. The auction is being held on October 15 at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas.

If you’re looking to score major brownies points and do a little good this Christmas, you might consider getting in on the Music Saves Lives Gibson Guitar auction before it’s too late. There’s one more left — the Josh Kenyon-painted, Bad Religion-autographed “Beware of Friends” Les Paul — and there’s only two days before some lucky duck could be strumming away on it on Christmas morning. That little quacker could be you! More info here.

Related: Kenyon x Nichols x Music Saves Lives

‘Tis the season to be a charitable graff artist, it seems. If London is more in your neighborhood than Bethlehem, you best take you and your Santa hat to Cargo this Friday for a live art auction featuring some of the best names in street art. Evolving Styles will offer original works by names like FAFI, Faile, MARS-1 and DAZE, as well as the developing works of artists like Flying Fortress, Mr Jago, and Herakut, who will be live painting at the event. All proceeds from Evovling Styles will go towards the largest orphan charity in the world, SOS Children, meaning the money you pay for art will help care for child soldiers and street children, and not some snooty gallery owner’s couture addiction. You can check to see if your favorite artist will be part of the event (or get a head start with online bidding) here.

Two of our favorite artist pals, Josh Kenyon and Colby Nichols, recently became involved with the Music Saves Lives Gibson Guitar Project, an awesome Gibson/musician/artist collab whose proceeds will go towards very good things. Five Les Paul guitars were signed individually signed by Coheed and Cambria, Pennywise, Bad Religion, and Meg and Dia, then made their way into the hands of Josh and Colby, who customized the guitars with their own unique styles of hand painting. Check them out and fall in love here, but don’t worry if you lack the funds to nail one – you can also scoop up similar artwork from the same place in the form of one of a limited edition prints (proceeds of which will also benefit the Music Saves Lives Project). The guitars are being auctioned off one at a time — and there are just three left — so hurry up, place your bid, and form your band.

News of another good thing that will only be available in Japan: Honeyee, the Japanese lifestyle magazine, is currently testing out a new auction feature, in which users can bid on super-rare, super-desirable items like one-of-a-kind bikes, furniture…and what appears to be an El Camino. It’s an interesting move for Honeyee, who certainly has the readership for some heated auctioneering, but details that might aid in clarifying the mag’s motives are missing (or not missing, but written in Japanese). In any case, it could be interesting to watch the auctions once they’re actually running, so keep an eye out — and let us know if you snag something good.

A heads up to all of our collectors/design junkie readers: Sotheby’s will be holding an auction featuring the work of a very impressive line-up of designers on the morning of June 19th. Pieces from Chris Ferebee, Ron Arad, Zaha Hadid, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Marcel Wanders, Jasper Morrison, Jason Miller, Shiro Kuramata, Fernando, Jean Prouve, George Nakashima, Frank Gehry, and Ingo Maurer (among others) will be included in the auction which will begin at 10 o’clock at Sotheby’s New York. After browsing the catalog I’m desperately wishing I could go; this event features some truly beautiful work, and — oh, bliss — it’s all going to be in the same place…before being snatched up by some very lucky new owners.

You have a little under two days (1d 23h 34m to be exact) to submit ebay bids for some great art produced to raise money for Billabong’s Design for Humanity initiative. Each piece is on 18″ x 18″wood panels, and rest assured that each was produced exclusively for this fundraiser. Proceeds are going to SurfAid International (the non-profit humanitarian aid organization) to support their efforts to improve the health of people in isolated places that are connected to surfing. Some of the involved artists include: Beck(y), Kelly D. Williams , Damion Silver, Kevin Peterson, and Shiny Toy Guns. Place your bids here! And also take a look at the three-part video series they’ve posted to explain this charitable endeavor.

Everyone is buzzing about the new Furni Artist Clock Auction– and they’re not alone. Furni rallied the participation of artists like James Kerr (left), Cody Hudson, and many more. All the proceeds of the auction go directly to Skate for Cancer. The auction begins Monday February 12th, at 8EST. Great artwork, great clocks, great cause.