As a Mercedes convertible scooted along Hillcrest past SMU as the crowds gathered for the Willis Tate Lecture Series on Monday, October 21, fundraising types were headed to events like the St. Valentine’s Day Fashion Show Kick-Off party at Bistro 31 in Highland Park Village and others like:
Art in Bloom Patron Party
Ann Hobson was doing solo host duties when the doors to her fabulous Highland Park house of perfection opened for the Art in Bloom patron party. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Atticus, the black Lab, was making the rounds appropriately wagging his tail and leaning against knees enough to let the 60 guests like Jacqueline Anderson, Beverly and Don Freeman, Marilyn Willems, Carol Placido, Claire Dewar, Jennifer and Doug Houser, Susan Fisk, Carol and Mike Resnick and Nancy and Nuel Cates, know they were indeed welcome.
Dallas Museum of Art Eugene McDermott Director Max Anderson was immediately greeted by Art in Bloom Chair Barbara Durham and her husband Steve.
As “The Arrangement” by Angelo DeFilippo and an untitled ceramic by Lucretia Waggoner were on display in the dining room, Barbara D apologized to Ann for having ordered red wine, which Ann had nixed. Laughing, Ann explained to Barbara and she had avoided red wine after she herself “christened” the house when she spilled red wine on the white rug in the solarium.
At 7 p.m. the group gathered in the solarium where Max thanked all including DMA League President Emily Maduro, Barbara D and Honorary Chair Barbara Bingham.
Next up was the Lillian and James H. Clark Associate Curator of European Art Heather McDonald, who had co-curated the “Bouquets: French Still-Life Paintings from Chardin to Matisse.” Art in Bloom was timed beautifully to take place on Monday, October 27, the day after “Bouquets” opens for its run through Sunday, February 8.
Barbara D then thank the Hobsons (man-of-the-house Lee had arrived a half hour into the party), Danielle Rollins, who would be conducting the Art in Bloom floral symposium, and Honorary Chair Barbara Bigham.
The diminutive Barbara B. had something she wanted to say, so she took over the mic and said that she had learned something this year. When she was the DMA League president, she worked so hard. Then when she chaired Art in Bloom, she once again worked so hard. But when she discovered how great it was to be the “honorary” chair, she said she would have agreed to do it sooner.
Junior League of Dallas Past President/Ball Chair party
Just across Preston Road on the other side of the Dallas Country Club, Lydia Novakov hosted a party for the past presidents and ball chairs of the Junior League of Dallas.
Sponsored by Community Trust Bank, more than 70 guests including Connie O’Neill, Christie Carter, Nikki Webb, Clare Cunningham, Linda Gibbons, D’Andra Simmons Lock, Debbie and Nickey Oates, Susan Wells Jenevein, Louise Griffeth, Susan McSherry, Lyda Hill, Meredith Mosely and Community Trust Bank VP of Business Development Holly Reed attended the event for an update on the 2015 ball.
According to Ball Chair Beverly Cahill and Honorary Chair Lynn McBee, the ball’s theme, “The Magnolia Ball,” “embodies an idyllic elegance and brings to mind a sense of reverie that is both romantic and sophisticated, while creating an atmosphere immersed in love, gratitude and aspiration for the future.”
Keeping the remarks brief, JLD President Julie Bagley said, “I look around the room and know that the success we achieve today is possible because we stand on the shoulders of giants. We thank you for not only the accomplishments in the past, but for what you continue you to do for the League through your service as advisors and your generous financial support.”