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ATTLEBORO - Someone once told Mim Fawcett that "an auction is like live sports; you don't know how the game is going to end."

After about 10 items Fawcett, the executive director of the Attleboro Arts Museum, said she felt that the museum's biggest fundraiser of the year was going to go well.

"I felt like there was a definite interest," she said.

The 18th Benefit Art Auction was held Saturday night with a packed crowd on hand.

More than 190 pieces were up for auction between the silent and the live auctions, according to Fawcett. "It's all donated art," Fawcett said. "This is a record year," she added.

Artists who donate their work become automatic members of the museum, according to Fawcett.

"The standard is very high; people want to be proud of the work they donate," Fawcett said.

"There were some great art pieces," said Melissa Brennan of Boston. "We saw a few things" to bid on in the silent auction, she added.

Barbara Ottmar from North Attleboro has been to the auction several times, and often donated art she has collected. This year, she donated self-made pieces.

She had two pieces in the silent auction and one in the live auction. "I just want to help the museum," she said.

She was also there to buy art. "I've already gotten two or three pieces," Ottmar said.

Ottmar said she has noticed a difference between this year's auction and previous ones. "The works are smaller, and they're selling for a little bit less," she said.

But she said overall, she thought the night was going well.

"Everything is being sold," she said. "It's a good crowd, too." Other submitting artists came to Attleboro for the night.

"I wanted to try and see what I could get in," Katherine Curis, 21, of North Smithfield, R.I., said.

She had a piece in the silent auction titled "The Wind Speaks." "It's really cool to see it up there," she said. "It's pretty exciting."

Already looking ahead, Curis said, "I think I'll definitely do it again. Next year, I'll try to get into the live auction itself."

"I want to make this quick and painless," said auctioneer Stuart Whitehurst as he opened the live auction.

The first painting, of an avocado that Whitehurst described as "a kitchen wonder," sold for $60.

"The Road Not Taken," a mixed-media piece by Hooshang Khorasani, sold for $1,000.

Other pieces sold in the live auction included various paintings, sculptures, a bracelet and some special items. Those included two 2010 Red Sox roof-top pavilion box tickets and a baseball signed by Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, two Trinity Rep tickets, one night at the Westin Providence and a week in a house in Chatham.

Bidders, for the first time, also were asked to make donations of $50 and $25 to the museum to help pay for art supplies, for children to take classes and for other museum expenses.

"Seeing what an overwhelming response people had for those made me feel like the community supports the museum," Fawcett said. "It really was a beautiful statement," she said.

"This was my first auction, and it was really interesting," Marilyn Healy from Mansfield said.

"It's a little gem in this area ... that many more people should know about," said Phyllis Gorman, a submitting artist.