Society / The Seen

Anthony Hopkins Invites Houstonians to Lunch in Los Angeles to Make Up for Harvey Cancellation: It’s Selfies and Face Time for Everyone

BY // 12.13.17
photography Courtesy of Houston Children's Charity

Hurricane Harvey washed away innumerable plans, hopes and dreams that might never be recovered. But for a lucky few, who had been polishing their table manners for dinner with Sir Anthony Hopkins and found that opportunity submerged in flood waters, the Oscar winner made good on his promise to sit down at the table — albeit in Los Angeles rather than in Houston’s ritzy River Oaks neighborhood.

It was a well-endowed fraternity that earned the enviable dinner invitation. They were the handful of collectors that had purchased artworks from Hopkins’  Dreamscapes III “In a Blink”  collection,  a percentage of proceeds from which benefited Houston Children’s Charity. The charity’s CEO Laura Ward had organized the fête and therefore had the power to cancel in light of Harvey’s widespread damage. No one complained.

Then, Muir Fine Art Gallery, which hosted Hopkins’ collection for private showings, organized a lunch with the artist and his wife, Stella, in Los Angeles at The Fairmont Hotel.

The lucky ones breaking bread with the artist were Darla Lexington, Michael Coopwood, Robin Young-Ellis and Joe Ellis, Denny Lyon and Wayne Smith of his eponymous jewelry boutique. Guests found Hopkins to be more C.S. Lewis (Shadowlands) than Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs), reporting that he offered each guest the opportunity for a selfie. Purchasers not winging west were Sue and Lester Smith and Laura and Dave Ward.

The artful fundraiser, thanks to the generosity of Muir Fine Art Gallery and Hopkins, raised $40,000 for Houston Children’s Charity’s ongoing programs.

The next fundraising opportunity for HCC, other than the traditional holiday push, comes with the non-profit’s 21st annual gala, set for Friday, March 23, 2018, in Tilman Fertitta‘s new mixed-used extravaganza, The Post Oak. The black-tie evening will honor Penny and Paul Loyd and give special recognition to title sponsors Maria Moncada Alaoui of BMW of West Houston and Tommy Kuranoff of Momentum BMW Southwest.

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