Shelley's Truck by Peg E. Corn at the Orange Show Art Car Parade (Photo by Morris Malakoff and Danitza Ladwig)
Art parties, art parties, and more Houston art parties. . . needless to say, it was a busy art season in the Bayou City. Here’s a look at some of the hottest happenings, events that art devotees will not forget any time soon:
Glasstire Auction and Party
What: Celebrating Glasstire’s 22nd birthday with an artistic doubleheader of an online auction and glamorous soirée
Where: Naylor Street Sharespace (used to be Walter’s Downtown!)
Chairs Sara Cain and Sarah Foltz welcomed Glasstire friends and family to celebrate the art magazine’s 22nd year with live music, bites, libations and a sizzling silent auction featuring 40 artists from across Texas.
Attendees noshed on Little Kitchen HTX’s hors d’oeuvres — a hummus plate, crab cakes, meat pies, pulled pork sliders, mini chicken salad sandwiches and praline chocolate chip cookies — while taking in the offbeat and quirky auction works on display. Auction pieces on display included Candace Hicks’ Notes for String Theory collection, E Dan Klepper’s 200 Moons, Gary Sweeney’s Texas Grammar Lesson, and Tammie Rubin’s conical sculptures Always & Forever (forever, ever) No. 11 CD TX.
By the end of the night, Glasstire had raised more than $200,000, putting this year’s auction in equal standing with 2022’s record-breaker.
Fall Tabletop
PC Seen: Jereann Chaney, Julie Kinzelman and Christopher Tribble, Eureka Gilkey, Danielle Burns Wilson, Josh Pazda, Heidi Gerger, Jack Massing, Barbara Davis, Alecia Harris and Eivind Moen, GONZO247 and Carolyn Casey-Figueroa, Glasstire board member Juliet and David Franco, Julia Harris and Glasstire board member Dalton Harris
Legendary Houston, 1960s Love Street Light Circus Feel Good Machine Gala
What: Honoring a Houston legend with a 1960s themed bash
Where: The Ballroom at Bayou Place
A ballroom of guests, decked out in their grooviest 1960s and 1970s garb, joined The Heritage Society in paying homage to Love Street Light Circus Feel Good Machine, a 1960s psychedelic music venue opened by David Adickes.
The now-96-year-old sculptor — creator of the iconic We Love Houston sign in EaDo — was honoree of the evening. Heritage Society president Minnette Boesel, dressed as Jackie O. Kennedy, anointed Adickes with a plush crown and the artist delighted the crowd with his good humor.
Alley Theater associate producer Brandon Weinbrenner played emcee and auctioneer, selling three luxurious trips featured in the evening’s silent auction. The auction also included several of Adickes’ paintings. Heritage Society wrapped the evening with a dance contest set to golden oldies performed by David Caceres Band.
PC Seen: Angela and Will Cannady, Kathy and John Davis, Karen Winston, Alison Bell, Jillian Jopling, Peter McGillivray, Denny and Sissy Kempner, Cynthia Birdwell, Jordan Jopling, Peter Boesel, Clay and Minnette Jackson.
The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art’s 36th Annual Houston Art Car Festival & Parade
What: Showcasing mobile masterpieces by artists around the country
Where: Downtown Houston and Allen Parkway
Nearly 300,000 fans gathered to witness Houston’s legendary art car parade — “the oldest and largest celebration of art cars in the world,” according to the Orange Show. Team Gillman returned as presenting sponsor to this annual event, which showcased more than 250 mobile creations, including 100 brand-new works on wheels.
For the first time, the Orange Show’s parade honored three leaders in Houston’s art community: painter and sculptor Sharon Kopriva, HISD art teacher Anna Bass and longtime Houston philanthropists The Mafrige Family.
This year, the parade went carbon neutral, with new sponsor Mobius risk group taking the lead on providing carbon offset for all the cars. The credit for this legacy goes to Mobius corporate strategy VP John Saucer, the mind behind the partnership who passed away in August.
The votes came in: A panel of judges — Bryan Benedict, Theresa Escobedo, Randy Grubb, John Guess Jr., Lisa E. Harris, and Will Robinson — and audience, via text vote, awarded top honors to some astounding vehicular creations.
The Ann Harithas Legacy Award went to “Spacerider” by Claire Johnson & the Ploppet Crew.
In first place were “Shelley’s Truck by Peg E. Corn” by Rickey F. Polidore Jr. & Friends, “Gretapocalpyse” by Rick McKinney, and “Traffic Safety Cone Monster” by James Keener and Team TXDOT.
In second place came “Cheerio, The Hippo Car” by Tom Kennedy for Sue Shefman, “Smelly Cat” by Kimi Bainter and “Dominotrix” by Tjody Deval.
Bringing in Third Place were “Sugar Rush” by Hayley Boardman & Lovett Elementary, “Face Your Fears” by Kerrianne Claybaugh and Sam Houston Math, Science and Tech High School Visual Arts Team, and “Kat Balue” by Queen Becky.
PC Seen: Don Mafrige Jr., Kathy and Harry Masterson, Wayne Gilbert, Gus Kopriva, Susan Budge and Rick Paulson, Heidi Vaughan, Libbie Masterson with Mark Sullivan, Gayle and Michael Collins, Michael Mandola, Theresa Escobedo, Annabelle Walker, and the hardworking Orange Show trio of executive director Tommy Ralph Pace and colleagues Elaine Dillard and Jonathan Beitler.
Inspirit, Rothko Chapel’s Inspiration Dinner
What: Elegant dinner paired with an inspiring conversation on the intersection between art and activism
Where: The Astorian
In a more introspective evening, the Rothko Chapel hosted a dinner and discussion with notable guests and distinguished artists. Attendees enjoyed an elegant dinner paired with a thought-provoking conversation at this gala supporting the Rothko Chapel.
Celebrated artist and activist Carrie Mae Weems joined Houstonian and cultural ambassador Ellen Susman to discuss justice, democracy and art, exemplifying the Rothko Chapel’s focus on the future of civil rights. Weems challenged the gathered audience with difficult questions and prompted reflection on ways to create a more equitable future, harkening back to the meaning of the word “inspirit” and the event’s namesake — to encourage and enliven.
Troy Porter, Rothko Chapel board chair, and David Leslie, Rothko Chapel executive director, welcomed guests at the start of the evening. Teresa & Chao-Chiung “C.C.” Lee and Judy & Scott Nyquist chaired the event.
In the end, Inspirit raised more than $250,000 for the Rothko Chapel, made possible by major underwriter Matt Mullenweg and underwriters H-E-B, The Muriel Pollia Foundation and others.
PC Seen: Rothko Chapel’s Thuy Tran, David and Bennie Flores Ansell, Barbara Shuster, Jim Tiebout, Joy Authur, Amber Elliot, Leigh and Reggie Smith, and Cyvia Wolff
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