90th Anniversary Benefit and Gala of the Silvermine Arts Center a Huge Success
EVENTS + GATHERINGS
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ilvermine Arts Center, located in New Canaan, held their 90th Anniversary Benefit and Gala, Paint it Black, on Saturday May 5th, 2012. Patti Hansen and Keith Richards were the honorary chairs, strong supporters of Silvermine’s outreach and scholarship programs. The guests arrived in creative black tie, entering through the Sculpture Gardens to enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Galleries featuring the artwork of the Silvermine Guild of Artists. Guests were then led into the dining tent where they enjoyed a sit down Caribbean meal provided by Festivities, dancing to a reggae band and music provided by DJ Alexandra Richards, and a live auction with celebrity auctioneer Carolyn Kepcher, a judge from the first season of the Apprentice. Auction items included the
Honorary Co-Chairs Patti Hansen and Keith Richards (Weston) with Gala Guests Woodson and Tina Duncan, residents of New Canaan
Richards beach front home in Turks and Caicos, and 2013 tickets to the Kentucky Derby and the Masters Golf Tournament. The original drawing for the program cover, by Keith Richards, sold for $23,000. The benefit was a great success netting over $200,000 with the proceeds going directly to the arts center’s outreach and scholarship programs. Our signature outreach program, Art Partners, is nearing its 20th year of operation, bringing the joy and benefit of the arts to thousands of students who would never otherwise experience the enjoyment of the arts. “90 years as an artist founded and led organization is truly worth celebrating” says Executive Director, Leslee Asch. “We are very grateful to our honorary chairs, Patti Hansen and Keith Richards, the gala committee and our sponsors for making this event one to be remembered.” The Gala Committee for this anniversary celebration led by Gala Chair, Carol Perry from Weston, included Theodora Bergschneider (Easton), Stephanie Ercegovic (Westport), Heather Gaudio (Fairfield), Meredith Hutchison (Westport), Michele Marsh, Roger Mudre and Leslie Giuliani all from Weston, and Leslee Asch (Old Greenwich). Corporate sponsors of the 90th anniversary benefit included Robert Graham Designs, Hearst Connecticut Media Group, and Fairway Markets. Art Partners is an arts education program that places professional teaching artists in the classrooms of area urban schools in Norwalk and Stamford to offer hands-on curriculum based workshops. The over-arching goal of Art Partners is to increase young people’s opportunity to grow into independent, well grounded adults. With public school budgets under severe constraints, Art Partners is one of the few independent visual art programs currently available in the Norwalk and Stamford schools. Whether in school or on-site at Silvermine, Art Partners reaches minority and under-resourced students and teachers. Art Partners, and our similar outreach programs, will greatly benefit from the donations received from our generous supporters and donors. For more information about the many events, exhibits and course offerings, call 203-966-9700 or visit our website: www.silvermineart.org Will Morrison with Executive Director Leslee Asch, Guild Artist and Board member Don Axleroad and Erica Weingast.
Silvermine Guild Artist member David Dunlop with Robert Stock & Nancy McTague-Stock (Guild Artist member) with Board chair Roger Mudre at the 90th anniversary gala and benefit of the Silvermine Arts Center.
Rebecca Hoeffer and her husband Guild Artist David Dunlop
Silent Auction items at the 90th Anniversary Gala & Benefit of the Silvermine Arts Center featuring original drawing by Keith Richards which was used for the cover of the program book. His painting sold for $23,000
A Caribbean dinner for the almost 300 guests at the sold-out fundraising event were served in the tent by local caterers, Festivities CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
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