Wilmington’s Art On The Town has been redrawn, revitalized, revisited and refreshed. Wilmington director of cultural affairs Tina Betz and project manager Jeni Barton have resuscitated “The Loop” by providing a full-color gallery guide that includes an artist and curator of the month, as well as an easy-to-use map. The city offers two free shuttles. Then there’s the party…
We didn’t plan a photo-focused Loop, but it developed that way. First stop, at the Loop’s farthest reaches, was Hardcastle Gallery in Centreville, where director Allison Weer greeted us warmly before walking us through the show for the Pulitzer-nominated Jim Graham, his fourth in six years at Hardcastle. Jim brought back an impressive collection of ethereal landscapes taken during a trip to Iceland last summer. It seems Mr. Graham’s interest in art was ignited when a substitute art teacher, a Mr. Jamie Wyeth, made occasional appearances at his Chadds Ford elementary school. We also chatted with Betsy DeMarino, a longtime Graham fan, as well as a friend of Unionville, Pennsylvania, sculptor Marjorie Torrey, who, as Betsy told us, had been invited to show six of her life-sized bronzes in an important Los Angeles group show. Betsy said the two Torrey foxes that flank her fireplace look so real “the hunting dogs bark at them.”
Always on the hunt for good art, Sadie Somerville of Somerville Manning Gallery in Greenville was congratulated on her appearance on WHYY’s “Delaware Experience” the night before. Sadie and gallery partner Victoria Manning were preparing for their March show, “Artists of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.”
Next stop was downtown’s Colourworks photography lab-gallery on Superfine lane for the “Shapeshifter” solo show of Sarah Davenport’s large prints. Capturing mostly details of plant life and architecture, the images explored the geometry of organic and synthetic objects.
Sarah and her husband, sometimes-model Kevin Davenport, said 20 percent of the prints’ sales would be donated to the charity of the purchaser’s choice. Between bites of sweet sushi, we met and chatted with Callye Morrissey, aka Dotti Horror of the Philly Roller Girl roller derby team. Davenport’s next show at the Delaware Women’s Art Conference will feature action shots of Ms. Horror and other PRG members.
Photographer Peter Kaplan of Hockessin, known around the world for shooting from amazing heights, attended with his new assistant, Leah Beach, an Alabama import. Kaplan’s most famous image is of four iron workers on the former World Trades Center’s antenna tower, 1,600 feet above the street, with one of the workers playfully dropping trou. The name of the work? “Moon Over Manhattan.”
Also awe-inspiring was the immense quantity and quality of paintings, drawings, sculptural models, graphics, and more on display at the Delaware College of Art and Design’s annual student show. The always upbeat Valerie Jermusyk, DCAD’s director of development, introduced us to many of the students, who we later spied at the Loop’s re:Fresh after-party at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts. Holding court there was Ms. Barton herself, with city shakers Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald of City Theater Co., Julie Anne Cross of Cross-Pro productions and DJ Skinny White. We all discussed art, drank and danced to DJ Zip’s spins well past the 11 p.m. end time. Time to end this one.
Page 2: An Evening of High Style
It began with an elegant invitation to a soiree at the classic Gold Ballroom of the Hotel du Pont. It peaked when YWCA director Ginny Marino, wearing a dazzling sapphire-blue gown, presented awards to six high-achieving women. The presentation, always made during the annual Evening of Style, was the perfect expression of the YWCA’s mission: Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women. “In this less-than-wonderful economic climate, it’s important to remain optimistic, celebrate terrific women, and give ourselves a small pat on the back,” Ms. Marino told all assembled. She added that she hadn’t felt so special since she was mistaken for the wife of football legend Dan Marino and given the full VIP treatment on a recent vacation in Florida.
We compared hors d’oeuvres with gala committee chair Sandra Behrens, who enjoyed the smoked chicken. (We preferred the mini lamb kabob.) Ms. Behrens thanked all of the women of JP Morgan Chase who had spent the past nine months helping to plan the event.
Though the event is a fundraiser for women, gentlemen are enthusiastically welcomed. Among them was Jerry Bilton, who attended with his wife, Michele. Jerry, director of Wilmington’s Community Services building, served on the gala committee as food and entertainment guru. He explained that the committee chose the Gold Ballroom this year to “up the formal factor.” It was no coincidence that the walls are adorned with decorative plaques of beautiful women. Trés apropos.
The honorees were adorned beautifully as well. Among them were Doneene Keemer Damon, Leslie Stanford, Paulette Sullivan Moore, Claire DeMatteis, Samanta Lopez and Rebecca Stepp. Respectively, they were honored with the Trailblazer Award, the Rita Turner Award, the Leadership in Racial Justice Award, the Advancement of Women Award, the Genevieve Gore Young Women’s Leadership Award and the Women’s Empowerment Award.
An interesting and apparently effective live-auction bonus was the dollar-for-dollar match offered by a group of previous Evening of Style award winners. The financially fearless women elevated the night’s fundraising to more then $17,000. When it came time to shake it to the sounds of The Quake, it was reported that the Biltons were the first on and last off the dance floor. They stopped only briefly to refuel with sumptuous treats served in the DuBarry Room.
Page 3: Re-Made
The Fund For Women’s Makeover Madness at the immaculately minimalist Robert Cris Salon in Greenville gathered 65 philanthropically minded women to party while four of their own—Eileen Webster, Jennifer Mrozek, Alison Kortanek and Michele O’Neal—were treated to total transformations. With new cuts and styles by Cristi of Robert Cris, fresh faces by Natalie Ruelle of Mix Makeup Studio in Hockessin and expert wardrobe advice from the always colorful JoJami Tyler, the women emerged gorgeous. When the Delebrities weren’t feasting on delicious tidbits from Olé Tapas restaurant in Newark, they sipped Sangriatinis by—ahem—yours truly, MarTEEni Mike.
Fashion photog Toni Toomey snapped the festivities and the models’ before-and-after shots with her adorable 9-year-old daughter in tow. Carol Post, executive director of the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence, took a moment to speak to the gathering about working together to enhance the worth and potential of women and girls by harnessing the collective philanthropic power of women. Here, here. Ciao for now.
Page 4: First State Fashion Plate | The Belles and Beaus of the Balls
First State Fashion Plate
The Belles and Beaus of the Balls
