Right this minute (9 am, that is) at 410 Dexter Ave N, 21 artists will begin the feverish, 14th annual, 24-hour painting marathon at the Center on Contemporary Art, culminating in an auction at the gallery that starts at 6 pm Saturday. It’s like 21 studio visits and an exhibition rolled into one.

The artists include Chris Crites, who spins portraits from vintage mug shots; Rachel Maxi, a conjurer of urban idylls; Scott Foldesi, finalist for this year’s Betty Bowen Award; Chad Wentzel of Crawl Space fame; and Kristen Ramirez, who channels Ed Ruscha, Charles Sheeler, and Ellsworth Kelly in her billboard collages.

The marathon is open to the public with only a suggested donation of $5. Admission to the auction is $20; tickets here).