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 Water nymph with Katie Couric. Photo by MarySue Bonetti |
Aspen
Art Museum Hosts Blockbuster Benefit -
December 2004
The Aspen Art Museum closed its yearlong 25th anniversary celebration with a blockbuster of a benefit, far outpacing any previous fundraiser. The Dennis Basso Freestyle presented by Pierre/Famille garnered more than $520,000 in support of the art museum. Celebrities Katie Couric, Jill St. John, Robert Wagner, and Lauralee Bell Martin were among more than 600 guests who gathered in the elegant ballroom of The St. Regis Aspen to support the art museum. Dominico de Sole, former CEO of Gucci, and designer Nicole Miller were also there to see Dennis Basso's most recent fashion line and jewels by Pierre/Famille at Aspen's fashion show of the year. Barely
clothed water nymphs greeted guests as they arrived to sip Moët
& Chandon champagne and savor Tsar Nicoulai caviar, underwritten
this year by WestStar Bank.
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Katie Couric with Dennis Basso, Jill St. John, and Robert Wagner
Photo by Michael Brands
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Marty
Sprinzen, who purchased the Dennis Basso coat for Julie Nini, with furrier
Dennis Basso and event chair Nancy Magoon Photo by Michael
Brands
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This
year, Pierre/Famille kicked off the fashion show with a sparkling display
of diamonds decorating models in black dresses.
On right: Popular Aspen artist Hunt Rettig's assemblage attracted many bids at the silent auction. Photo by Michael Brands |
Vibrant
enthusiasm filled the room while bidders explored an impressive array
of nearly 200 silent auction items. Aspen entrepreneurs, restaurants,
and artists generously donated a wide variety of fashion items, artwork,
dinners, passes to Aspen activities, and much more. Trips to Vietnam,
Acapulco, and Art Basel in Switzerland were just a few of the amazing
vacations available at the silent auction.
Photo by MarySue Bonetti |
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Domenico
De Sole, former CEO of Gucci, pouring champagne for his wife, Eleanore.
Photo by Michael Brands
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John and Sabrina Georgiades, of Dennis Basso; Dennis Basso and event
producer extraordinaire Susan Claire Burston. Photo by
MarySue Bonetti
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Left: Vivacious auctioneer Andrea Fiuczynski of Christie's Beverly Hills conducted the exciting live auction of jewels, vacations, and fashions. The Barguzine Russian sweded sable, designed by Dennis Basso especially for this event, sold for $100,000, the highest bid of the evening. Right: Larry Marx and Robert Magoon, art collectors and strong supporters of the art museum, bidding at the live auction. Photos by MarySue Bonetti |
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Donald Stone, co-owner of Pierre/Famille and Aspen Art Museum Board
Vice President with former Board President Susan Marx, current Board
President Dick Osur and Judith Family, co-owner of Pierre/Famille.
Photo by Michael Brands
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Art
collectors and AAM National Council members Melva Bucksbaum and Raymond
Learsy, who were honored by the museum this year at the annual donor
recognition dinner.
Photo by Michael Brands |
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Janet
O'Grady, publisher of Aspen Magazine and co-chair of the event, with
socialite Denise Rich and Pamela Levy, who was on the benefit committee.
Photo by MarySue Bonetti
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Fashion designer Nicole Miller with Sabrina and John Georgiades of Dennis
Basso. Photo by MarySue Bonetti
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 Thanks to the generosity of all involved, this benefit event was the museum's most successful by far. This is Rickie De Sole on top of the Porsche Cayenne S automobile which her father, Domenico De Sole (former CEO of Gucci) bought for her. Photo by MarySue Bonetti |
 Dennis Basso topped of this amazing evening with a beautiful variety of fashions and furs in natural shades. |
 Photos by Michael Brands |
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Jeff Kuhlman, Lisa Stephen and David Marrs of WestStar
Bank, supporting sponsors who underwrote the Tsar Nicoulai caviar bar.
Photo by Michael Brands |
Emerging
artist Nathan Carter and friend with art collectors and AAM supporters
Debra and Dennis Scholl.
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The Aspen Art Museum's festive annual fundraisers provide the support that allows the museum to offer internationally recognized exhibitions, art workshops for all ages, school art programs throughout the valley, free public lectures, and tours. Next winter's après-ski gala will take place on Wednesday, December 28, 2005.
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