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Society / The Seen

Houstonians Lead the Charge to Help a Legendary Art Ranch, Raise a Record $1.3 Million: Generous Texans Make a Difference in Aspen Too

BY // 07.30.18

What: Anderson Ranch Arts Center‘s 22nd annual Recognition Dinner

Where: Hotel Jerome in Aspen

PC Moment: Houston art collectors Leigh and Reggie Smith chaired the evening that saluted Ai Weiwei as international artist honoree. “Ai Weiwei is one of the top living artists working today,”Anderson ranch executive director Nancy Wilhems noted in a statement, “and his artistic output calls attention to the most challenging and divisive issues of our time.”

Bunny Burson and Charles Burson, who was White House counsel and chief of staff to Vice President Al Gore, are both longtime Anderson Ranch enthusiasts, dividing their time between St. Louis and Aspen. The received the Service to the Arts Award. Of the duo, Wilhems commented, “They champion the values of Anderson Ranch, and as artists and leaders in the arts themselves, they also exemplify the focus on excellence, rigor and talent that continues to define our campus.”

Both of the Smiths have been involved as members of the Anderson Ranch National Council for several years and Reggie now serves on the board of directors. They are over the moon with the results of the annual fundraiser, bringing in a record $1.3 million, $140,000 of which was garnered through the paddle raise. That amount, Leigh noted, goes directly to scholarship programs.

Among the heavy hitters joining the festivities was Christie’s deputy chairman Capera Ryan of Dallas; Art Basel director Americas Noah Horowitz; Art Basel Americas VIP relations head Irene Kim; collectors Eleanore and Domenico De Sole, chairman of Sotheby’s and Tom Ford International; and collectors Debra and Dennis Scholl of Miami and Mera and Don Rubell, also of Miami.

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Houstonians in the mix: Nanette Finger, Martha and Richard Finger, Marie and Bill Wise, Kelley and Steve Lubanko, Tracy and Michael Eklund, Kitty and Richard Rabinow, Leslie and Jack Blanton, Denise Monteleone, Sara Dodd, Menil Collection director Rebecca Rabinow and her husband Matthew Ringel.

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