Feb 4, 2008

Exquisite glass art center of institute auction

Janet Duca Norton / Society Columnist

The seventh annual Great Glass Auction, the major benefit for the San Jose-based Bay Area Glass Institute, continued its tradition of featuring spectacular glass art by acclaimed local, national and international artists, as well as famous auctioneer Kip Toner. The sold-out Jan. 26 event attracted 150 guests, and once again offered the unique opportunity for collectors and institute artists to meet.

The evening gala at San Jose's Fourth Street Summit Ballroom raised $150,000 to be used for the Glass Institute's classes, studio access, visiting artist series and special events.

Instead of raising the targeted $15,000 for the purchase of new bench tools and the provision of four visiting artists' scholarships for San Jose State University students, the Fund-a-Need auction item raised $20,000.

Chairman of the board Steven Aldrich and his wife Allison reprised their roles as event co-chairs for the fourth year. They produced a fun, financially successful event that involved guest participation activities. The People's Choice Award gave guests the opportunity to vote for their favorite piece by a local artist. Kathleen Elliott's "Crouching Blue Vine with Apricot Feet" was the winner. It was the second time Elliott had won the award.

Guests also purchased "Golden Raffle" tickets with proceeds benefiting the visiting artist series. Rachel Levy was thrilled she bought the lucky ticket that entitled her to one piece from the live auction. Without a moment's hesitation, she chose Jack Storms' "Mobius Strip" to take home with her.

For the third year, the Saxe Fellowship for outstanding craftsmanship and achievement was awarded in a juried competition. Jury members included renowned collector Dorothy Saxe, Habatat Gallery founder and principal Ferdinand Hampson, and co-founder and principal of San Francisco's Sculpturesite Gallery Brigitte Micmacker. Melissa and Keith Bispo, who won for their piece titled "The Eleventh Hour," were selected for the Saxe Fellowship that included a $2,000 award and an invitation to participate in the visiting artist series. The intricate cold-worked three-foot-tall vessel, which told a story of the natural environment of the Monterey and Big Sur area, fulfilled the requirements of being ambitious with an original narrative.

Awards also went to Jay Musler for his intricate wall sculpture "Amnesia," Kari Minnick for her kiln-formed glass "Note to Self" and Candace A. Martin and Treg Silkwood for their blown-glass "Seaweed." Silkwood's work will be featured in a spring show at the Steuben Glass Gallery in New York City.

Hampson, of Habatat Gallery in Michigan (the oldest and largest American gallery showing only glasswork), shared his insights on "what collectors should know" in an interesting lecture, during which he encouraged attendees to invest in new artists.

Enthusiastic Bay Area collectors included competition judge Saxe and her husband George Saxe, Linda and Neal Goldstein, Eva and Richard Klein, Warren and Barbara Poole, Marilyn and Charles Meier, Judy and Jerry Rose, Nancy Ruskin, Jim Della, Susan and George Golovin, and Tita and John Kolozsi.

Out-of-town guests included Howard Aldrich from North Carolina and Sharon and Mike Lind from Seattle. Auction patrons Angela and Jeffrey Glosser and Ted and Melissa Lagreid brought a group of collectors from Arizona, including Fred and Sharon Schomer.
"The live auction produced some remarkable bidding wars," board chairman Aldrich said. "Demi Theofanous' piece and the Bispos' piece went well above stated value."


CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TRI-CITY MIXER

The Palo Alto Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel hosted a first-time joint Palo Alto, Los Altos and Mountain View Chamber of Commerce Tri-City Mixer on Jan. 23. About 300 chamber members and guests had such a good time trading business cards and inspecting 15 showcase tables that another event is planned for January 2009. Lead event coordinator Diana Wittenbrock of Palo Alto spoke for her co-chairwomen Gayle Carter (Los Altos) and Jennifer Low (Mountain View) when she said the mixer was a big success.

The event was also a benefit for the Opportunity Center in Palo Alto. Participating in "Operation Warm Coat," members of the Palo Alto chamber donated coats for the center's residents.

The buzz around the event was about a free program open to all Palo Alto business owners titled "Recipe for Recovery Business Forum." Presented in partnership with the city of Palo Alto, the forum will take place at Palo Alto City Hall on Feb. 5. Chamber chairwomen Jo Coffaro and Wittenbrock said information will be distributed to help businesses prepare for and recover from a disaster (flooding, earthquakes, terrorism, pandemics), plus a panel discussion will take place with disaster planning experts. A community fair to help families prepare for disasters is planned for the Cubberley Community Center on April 5.

The mixer was a change of pace for early-rising Palo Alto Business Referral Network group members Kayla Cundiff, Justin Vavuris, Chris Iverson, Joan Hausman and Tommy Fehrenbach, whose regular get-togethers are held at 7 a.m.

Mark Hochstatter, general manager of the Crowne Plaza, was busy greeting guests including Michael Kasperzak Jr., Barbara Mordo, Virginia Turner and chamber presidents Sandra Lonnquist (Palo Alto), Julie Rose (Los Altos) and Allison Nelson (Mountain View).

Janet Duca Norton's society column appears every Sunday in the Daily News. Send event information to 324 High St., Palo Alto, CA 94301 or e-mail society@paloaltodailynews.com.