100% Real Painting (Versailles)

Neptune's Basin, 2008, 18" x 24", oil on linen

Anne Sherwood Pundyk

ARTWALK NY 2008: Party Report

On the eve of an historic national election (with a crumbling economy as the backdrop) a healthy slice of the artworld gathered to raise money for the Coalition for the Homeless.  Attending the event was a way to pay tribute to Robert Rauschenberg, to celebrate the generosity of artists and galleries who have contributed artworks to be auctioned, and to enjoy the theatre of the evening.  It is a well-known draw that artwork may be bought at below market prices at benefit art auctions and this year's ARTWALK NY was no exception.  A list of the donating artists may be found on the Coalition's website.

Richard Gere and his wife, Carey Lowell, graciously hosted the evening's tribute and live auction. Honored guest Alec Baldwin joined by Gere, applied his talent and wit to encourage the audience to buy art from the silent auction and bid higher during the live auction.  Baldwin compared bidding in this auction to going to see a movie at a multiplex theater.  There are plenty of movies to choose from; you may go initially to see one movie, but if its sold out you go to see another.  If the artwork you want sells, find another to buy.  He wryly suggested that Richard Gere's recent movie, "Nights in Rodanthe", would be the second choice movie.  (Let the games begin!)

On a more sincere note, another honored guest, artist Chuck Close, spoke of Rauschenberg from his own student days.  Close's tribute was based on personal friendship and professional admiration.  Other members of Rauschenberg's personal circle added to the evening's tribute to this seminal artist.  Coalition Executive Director Mary Brosnahan underscored the current economic reality as a reason to give even more to the Coalition for the Homeless and its proven programs.  The need for the Coalition's services is only going to increase the the coming year.

Advance ticket sales were reported as matching last year's high levels, and tickets were bought at the door as well.  The venue, The Metropolitan Pavilion at 125 West 18th Street, filled quickly.  Attendees were equal portions of artists and art aficionados, professionals, paparazzi, beautiful people, and young beautiful people.  The Coalitions new Junior Committee Co-Chair, Bettina Prentice, herself picture perfect, was very successful at bringing in young collectors to the event.

The Metropolitan Pavilion is a great place for this art party.  The event is run by Scenic, headed by Craig Hensala and Simon Watson with support from the Coalition's Kim McCall (in high heels after running the New York City Marathon the day before!), Rachel Edelman, and many other Coalition members.  The Pavilion was split into two large, airy spaces: one for the silent auction art exhibition, complete with open bars, hearty fare, passed hors d'oeuvres, and a DJ; the other a stage and reserved seating for the live auction.  The installation of the silent auction artwork was intelligent and expert.  Given that the works are up just for the evening, the placement of the works, including the lighting was lovely.

During the introductory speeches and tributes before the live auction, however, as well as during the live auction itself, the acoustics were compromised.  It seems in past years, the party in the silent auction section of the hall shut down to watch the live auction show.  The ongoing noise from the party seemed to make the live auction less special and harder for Baldwin, Gere and the auctioneer, a charming Christopher Gaillard, to urge on the bidding.  Bidders responded notably to pieces by Chuck Close,Wade Guyton, Jenny Holzer, Dennis Oppenheim, Jack Pierson, Robert Rauschenberg and Ed Ruscha.  Curiously, while not identical, two artworks, one by Jeff Koons and the other by Pat Steir, were very similar to last year's donated works.

Bidding at the silent auction was brisk, several pieces inspired many bidders including a Louise Bourgeois print and a print made collaboratively by Anne Collier & Matthew Higgs titled, "I Married an Artist".  (My husband, Jeff Pundyk, and Alec Baldwin sparred several rounds on the bidding sheet for this piece until Baldwin tripled his bid.)  I'll take this opportunity to say I'm grateful to report that the piece I donated sold.  

This was the 14th annual ARTWALK NY, now a proven event that supports the tireless efforts of Mary Brosnahan and the Coalition for the Homeless.  I have skimped here a bit on details of the candid remarks and unplanned antics: I encourage you to attend next your to see for yourself.  It is an entertaining party and a great opportunity for art collectors.  In the meantime, get involved with the Coalition, make a contribution of your money or time or both.

100% Real Painting (Versailles)

Grand Trianon, 2008, 45" x 55", oil on linen

Anne Sherwood Pundyk

ARTWALK NY Studio Tours, Saturday November 1, 2008

In addition to the ARTWALK NY auction and benefit, which takes place Monday, November 3, 2008 (further details are in my previous post) ARTWALK NY offers an insider's look at New York's art community, in a series of studio tours featuring some of the city's most prominent artists.  Here are the details:

ARTWALK NY ARTIST STUDIO TOURS

Free to the Public/Saturday November 1, 2008

RSVPs are required.  To reserve a spot, please contact (212) 776-2056 or

ArtwalkNY@cfthomeless.org

Tour 1:  Chelsea:  Begins at 2:00 pm at 526 West 26th Street, NY

Tour leader Robert Ayers has written extensively on painting, sculpture and the interdisciplinary arts for Art & Auction, Art Monthly, ArtInfo, ArtNEWS and countless other publications.  Ayers has enjoyed a remarkable career, gaining a reputation not only as a writer, but as a teacher, curator, producer and as a tireless advocate for the contemporary arts.

Locations:

Louise Fishman Studio

Louise Fishman is recognized as one of the greatest American abstract painters of her generation.  Her work is held in the permanent collections of the world's foremost institutions including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Carnegie Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

William Steiger Studio

William Steiger paints icons of the American landscape such as grain elevators, tramways, railroad cars, roller coasters and ferris wheels.  The combination of muted atmosphere, graphic style and an undefined and limitless space implies endless narrative without supplying story line.  His work is included in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Museum of Modern Art.

Tour 2:  Brooklyn:  Begins at 2:00 pm at 20 Grand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

Tour leader Naomi Beckwith is Assistant Curator at The Studio Museum in Harlem.  Prior to joining the Studio Museum, Beckwith was a project coordinator for BAMart at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, a Helena Rubenstein Critical Studies Fellow at the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program and, most recently, the Whitney Lauder Curatorial Fellow at the Institute of Contemporary ARt, University of Pennsylvania.

Locations

Mickalene Thomas Studio

New York-based artist Mickalene Thomas is known for her elaborate paintings adorned with rhinestones, enamel and colorful acrylics.  Her depictions of African American women explore notions of black female celebrity and identity while romanticizing ideas of femininity and power.  Thomas' work is included in the permanent collections of the Brooklyn Museum, the Studio Museum in Harlem and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Shinique Smith Studio

With unexpected juxtapositions of everyday items, Shineque Smith's work evokes the spiritual qualities that exist in sometimes overlooked, mundane corners of  life.  Smith questions the relationships that contemporary societies have with the inanimate and the intimate.  Smith's work is included in the collections of the Denver Art Museum, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the Margulies Collection and the Rubell Family collection.

Nicole Cherubini Studio

Nicole Cherubini is a sculptor known for her exploratory merging of raw building materials, structural forms and surface ornamentation.  Cherubini is a Louis Comfort Tiffany Award recipient and currently has two concurrent exhibitions, one at D'Amelia Terras and the other at Smith-Stewart.

Michael Brown Studio

Michael Brown makes mixed media sculptures and drawings, often using found objects in his work to discuss ideas of loss and change.  Brown has exhibited at Yvon Lambert New York, David Zwirner Gallery, the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art and The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art

 

ARTWALK NY 2008

Voiceover: Picnic, 2007, 11.5" x 11", watercolor on paper, 

Anne Sherwood Pundyk

(This work is available at the ARTWALK NY 2008 silent auction)

 

ARTWALK NY 2008

Benefit Art Auction which raises vital funds to help the Coalition for the Homeless provide a safety net for the thousands of New Yorkers who arrive at their doorstep every month.  Tonight, 34,000 homeless New Yorkers will sleep in emergency shelters.  14,000 of them are children.

November 3, 2008

A Tribute to Robert Rauschenberg

6:30 pm  Silent Auction and Cocktail Party

8:00 pm Live Auction

Metropolitan Pavilion

125 West 18th Street

New York City

For ticket information

please contact:  (212) 776-2056

www.coalitionforthehomeless.org

100% Real Painting (Versailles)

Spring Florals, 2007, 8" x 10", oil on linen

Roses, 2008, 6" x 8", watercolor on paper

Palatine, 2008, 49" x 50", oil on linen

Le Pont Neuf, 2008, 9.5" x 9", watercolor on paper

Tout a L'heure, 2008, 9" x 9", watercolor on paper

Rue de Rivoli, 2008, 24" x 24", oil on linen

"Girls" note cards available at Pumpkinseeds Boutique

My "Girls" note cards are available at Pumpkinseeds Boutique located at 1 North Main Street, Lexington, VA 24450 (540) 464-5002.  On display with the cards is one of the "Girl Paintings", "Lezane".