Rob Giardinelli
Dallas Museum of Art’s 61st Annual Art Ball Celebrates Influence
By Rob Giardinelli Photography by Bruno Snap The Picture
THE SCENE: The Dallas Museum of Art was the recent setting for the 61st annual Art Ball. This year’s theme, Influence, paid homage to the capacity that art, culture, media, and more have the power to shape ideas, action, and character. The event drew approximately 330 prominent art patrons and supporters from Dallas and beyond for an incredible night of fashion, fun and excitement that went into the wee hours of the morning.
Chase and Bela Cooley
THE VIBE: Celebrity event planner Todd Fiscus of Todd Events created a magical wonderland based on the concept of the melting flower, which could be felt from the moment guests entered through the Hamon Entrance of the museum. The festivities began with cocktail hour among the stunning backdrop of cherry blossom trees, surrounded by intimate furniture groupings, where guests sipped on their favorite spirits including signature cocktails “Summer In Mykonos” by Kástra Elión Vodka and a “Black Diamante Margarita” by Maestro Dobel Tequila.
Since tradition at the Art Ball is that the dinner bell rings at 8PM sharp, guests then found their seats in the Hamon Atrium for the main program. The stunning décor featured an elegant mix of oval and rectangular tables with elegant, vibrant tablescapes that featured various hues of reds and pinks. This was perfectly accented by tunes from DJ Romi Q and area carpets which gave each table feel of an intimate dinner party inside of a larger event. During dinner, partygoers were treated to a performance by modern mentalist Kevin Nicholas.
Throughout the evening, guests had the opportunity to bid on the nine curated art auction items sponsored by Christie’s. Top items included an Italian lifestyle experience at Brunello Cuccinelli’s Headquarters in Solomeo, Italy, a New York Fashion Week Insiders Package and a Frieze Masters VIP Package in London. Once dinner and the bidding was completed, revelers headed back to Eagle Family Plaza for a night of entertainment courtesy of Soulcirque, a DJ fusion band that blends drums, saxophone, and guitar into an interactive DJ set.
THE NON-PROFIT: The event, co-chaired by Leigh Anne Clark and Bela Cooley, raised a net amount of over $1 million for the Dallas Museum of Art. Funds raised from the evening will go towards the museums commitment to provide innovative educational programs, diverse exhibitions and maintaining its collection of over 25,000 important works of art over the past 5,000 years.
