Looking for the Perfect Valentine's Day Gift?

Why not get your sweetheart some Art? This Valentine's Day, RH Gallery and Foolsgold Arts are teaming up to spread their love to the animals at the Brooklyn Animal Rescue Coalition. Foolsgold Arts, founded by Shanan Campanaro and Maria Kozak, raises money through benefit auctions to support neglected animals and the environment

This auction will feature work by 48 New York based artists around the theme of love. All works will be sold by silent auction on the evening of February 14th, during the opening from 6-8 pm. The artists are:

Emily Adams, Soledad Arias, William Bolton, Julie Brady, Jessy Brodsky, Shanan Campanaro, Jessica Cannon, Julia Chiang, Alex La Cruz, Myla Dalbesio, Bonnie DeWitt, Michael Dickey, Jackie Dingle, Theodora Doulamis, Joel Dugan, Tamar Ettun, Alexandra Evans, Micah Ganske, John Gordon Gauld, Jason Sho Green, Jane LaFarge Hamill, Loretta Hirsch, Aliene de Souza Howell, John Jacobsmeyer, Michael Kagan, Kevin Kay, Myeongsoo Kim, Ryan Kitson, Maria Kozak, Tracey Langfitt, Christian Little, Charles Ly, Panni Malekzadeh, Benjamin Martins, Rosalie Stone Morris, Gary Murphy, Peter Ngo, Keri Oldham, John O'Reilly, Jacob Rhodes, Rachel Rossin, Richard Saja, Mike Schreiber, Talia Shipman, Andy Smenos, Gordon Stevenson, Mark de Wilde and Aimee Wilder.

Exit Art - After 30 Years, Exits with a Bang!

For 30 years, Exit Art has supported and fostered a vibrant, interdisciplinary artistic community in New York, presenting hundreds of innovative exhibitions and the works of thousands of emerging and established artists. Now, with plans to close at the end of its 30th anniversary season, Exit Art is looking back on its own history; celebrating the pioneering work of its co-founders, Papo Colo and Jeanette Ingberman; and asking its longtime supporters for help in sending us out with a bang.

This Gala and Auction is being held to raise funds for Exit Art's "Legacy Project": a 30-year retrospective exhibition, the publication of a major book on the history of Exit Art, and a properly-funded transfer of the organization's complete archives to NYU Fales Library Downtown Collection. At Fales, scholars will be able to study Exit Art, its groundbreaking programs, and the thousands of artists who have shown here since 1982. It is vital that Exit Art continues to be recognized for its contributions to alternative art and culture in New York.

Join the benefit committee today!

White Box hosts Mtree Charity Auction

White Box NYC is hosting a show of work resulting from the Mtree "Brush with Hope" project in Benin, with the opening on Friday, November 4th from 6pm-8pm. The following day, Saturday, November 5th, there will be a silent auction starting at 7pm which will go to benefit the community in Benin.

This special exhibit and auction stems from the project "Brush with Hope," a summer program hosted by Mtree where artists and designers from New York City and Paris gather in Africa to offer art classes to African children. The first set of classes took place in Benin, West Africa and 300 Beninese children participated from July 29, 2011 to August 12, 2011. To children who barely had one meal a day, art instruction was a new experience. The instructors wished to instill hope in these children. The inner thoughts and feelings of the children were expressed through 2,800 paintings and drawings, which were brought to New York City. A selection of approximately 300 works will be exhibited for the event and all auction proceeds will go to fund a water pump in Benin.

The exhibition will consist of paintings and drawings on canvas or on paper, in color or monochrome. The artwork will be divided into six different categories: self-portraits, portraits of family, portraits of friends, collaborative works, works inspired by music, and "hope".

Mtree
Mtree is an international non-profit charity organization aiming to change the developing and developed countries into a better place ("change for all") by promoting networking and supporting young adults who are pursuing visions around the world.

While serving as an officer in the Republic of Korea Army for four years, Yohan Choi (Founder of Mtree) spent two years near the North Korean border and witnessed the hardships that North Koreans were facing. Through this experience, he became interested in developing countries. Since his discharge in 2009, he has traveled around the globe networking with young professionals in the US and in Europe and has fostered an interest in economic independence and development through running the Global Entrepreneurship Training (GET) program in Kenya and Ghana sponsored by UNESCO.

Project Lipstick Sunset Soiree

Clothes may make the man, but every lady knows a great outfit is never done without equally fabulous hair and makeup. Project Lipstick is an organization that understands the importance that this final touch has for the confidence of any woman, be she a supermodel or a mom trying to make a place in the world for her and her children. We have been fans and supporters of Project Lipstick since its founding by Breanna Marie Sage and hope that you will consider supporting this Sunset Soiree at Hudson Terrace. If you can't make it up to New York but want to help the cause, contact Project Lipstick directly and see how you can help their ever growing mission!

About Project Lipstick:
Founded in 2007, Project Lipstick, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides total mind and body make-overs for residents of women's shelters to assist in self-esteem development and career placement in conjunction with collecting and distributing beauty products.

A message about the Sunset Soiree:
Hundreds of thousands of women and their children across the country are currently homeless living in shelters. According to New York's Voices of Women, most of these women and their children are fleeing traumatic situations such as domestic violence. These women are left feeling helpless and hungry for a way to get back on their feet. Project Lipstick's mission is to aid in the transformation of these women's lives by providing the necessary tools to enter the work force, bringing the confidence that comes from feeling and looking good, and simply reminding them that there are people who care. The Sunset Soiree will benefit the continuation and growth of Project Lipstick's goals, helping us to reach more women with hopes and dreams.

To find out more go to: http://www.projectlipstick.org/



And check back for photos of the fabulous event!

SSMAC 2nd Annual Ketucky Derby Champagne Brunch

Hats and Horsies, what better way to spend a Saturday morning. The Junior Committee of the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard, and Airemen's Club, headed by Rachel Kirwin and John Vricella, couldn't agree more. From a bottomless champagne brunch at Harry's, 1 Hanover Square, to the races watched live at the 283 Lexington Ave Clubhouse, this was an excellent day. Friends gathered in their preppy finest, with hats donned by the gentlemen as well as the ladies. After a three course brunch and plenty of champagne a huge crowd migrated uptown and gathered 'round to root on their favorite horses. After two years of successful brunches, we hope that this is a tradition that will continue for a while longer.

For more information on the SSMAC check out their website at http://www.ssmaclub.org/ or head to their next event - The SSMAC Fleet Week Happy Hour on May 26th at Hurley's!

Project Lipstick Bubbly Benefit

Project Lipstick hosted a Bubbly Benefit at the Black Label Salon this past week. The event was an incredible success thanks to sponsors like Piper-Heidsiec Champagne, New Beauty Magazine, Pouschine-Cook, Organized Chaos, and of course Black Label Salon 25. Guests of all ages enjoyed champagne and makeovers while supporting this excellent cause. The guest list included our fabulous friends Kellen DeOliviera, Kathy Pfeiffer, Carolyn Gamberoni, Susan Schneider, Katherine White, Erika Billick, Rachel Kirwin, and of course, the hostess Breanna Marie Sage.
After such a successful first benefit, we cannot wait to see what next year's will bring.

To find out more about Project Lipstick check out www.ProjectLipstick.com

SSMAC Junior Committee Derby Day Brunch

The Junior Committee of the Soldiers', Sailors, Marines', Coast Guard, and Airmen's Club hosted their first Kentucky Derby Champagne Brunch this year at Harry's Cafe and Steak in Lower Manhattan. The millenry was the fashion focus of the day with girls donning their racing day best for the event. The event was populated with perrenial SSMAC supporters Sherry and Bruce Laue, Tiana Idoni-Matthews, Erika and Benoit Meister, Allison Ecung, Dana Markiewicz, and Mary Elizabeth Dooner. The event included speaches from SSMAC Junior Committee chairpersons Rachel Kirwin and John Vricella. With such a spirited, and champagne filled afternoon behind us, I for one hope this will become an annual Derby Day tradition.