TACA’s Autumn Fair Is A Sold-Out French Food-Fueled Art Salon at Dallas’ Fond
The Second Fall Arts Crawl Event Continues to Challenge Traditional Fundraising
BY Melissa Smrekar // 11.14.24
Katherine Covarrubias, Lauren Fleniken, Tara Lewis, Erin Cluley (Photo by Tamytha Cameron Photography)
On Monday, October 28, art enthusiasts gathered together for the second event in the three-part Fall Arts Crawl hosted by TACA (The Arts Community Alliance). The Autumn Fair, a sold-out French food-fueled art salon showcasing three local emerging artists, was inspired by American novelist and poet Gertrude Stein. Hosted by Lacy and Clayton Sands, every table was filled at downtown Dallas’ Fond.
For the first event in the three-part Fall Arts Crawl, TACA hosted a wacky and wonderful Edgar Allen Poe-themed night to remember at Arts Mission Oak Cliff. If you didn’t make it this year, you must mark it on your calendar for next.
At The Autumn Fair, Donna Wilhelm Family President & Executive Director Maura Sheffler welcomed guests and shared more about TACA’s support of The Cedars Union, a “creative incubator fueling Dallas’ next generation of artists.”
Chefs Jennie Kelley and Brandon Moore created an inspired four-course French feast, complete with thoughtful wine pairings. On my first visit to Fond, I particularly enjoyed the coq au vin croquette (first course) and duck cassoulet (third course).
To raise additional funds, TACA commissioned three new works of art, inspired by the three Fall Arts Crawl events and auctioned during the dinner. Lauren Fleniken‘s painting was inspired by Poe’s poetry, Katherine Covarrubias‘ piece by Stein’s poetry, and Sara Cardona‘s piece by Flor y Canto poetry.
Erin Cluley of Erin Cluley Gallery, a contemporary and modern art gallery, moderated a conversation with two of the artists about their practices and works, which were revealed individually throughout the course of the evening,
Elizabeth Anthony
Loyal TACA board members in attendance included chair Cheryl Alston, Grace Cook, Tara Lewis, Deborah McMurray, Michael Meadows, Jim Nugent, Jill Tananbaum, Andy Smith, Donna Wilhelm, and Mark Zacheis. Other arts patrons spotted in the crowd included Melinda and Jim Johnson and The Cedars’ Union’s Director of Development Emma Vernon.
Just as the organization supports art incubators in Dallas, TACA continues to challenge the traditional fundraising event model. Suffice it to say, it’s been a fun autumn at the Fall Arts Crawl.
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