After losing her father to melanoma five years ago, something inside project management consultant Vicki Eaker prompted her to help others undergoing cancer treatment — and that's how the "Brazarre" silent auction was born.
Saturday night marked the event's third anniversary at G Gallery in the Heights, where 29 local artists had donated musings on the brassiere— some serious, some quite whimsical — accompanied by placards offering the back story of each item up for grabs. The fundraiser, titled "The Brazarre Fights Back," benefited American Cancer Society's Relay For Life Greater Heights.
You couldn't walk by Eve Maulsby's "Boobs-Bees: The Land of Milk and Honey" without giggling.
Take Sharon Grammatico's design, a remote controlled light fixture crafted from two glowing, pink baseball gloves. The sconce paid respects to many members of her family and close friends whose lives were affected by the disease, including artist Sam Van Bibber. You couldn't walk by Eve Maulsby's "Boobs-Bees: The Land of Milk and Honey" without giggling at the witty play on words, which mused on the commonalities between women and bees as the providers of nourishment.
Using two vintage 45 singles — Elton John's "Sad Songs" and Kenny Rogers' "Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" — three-time Brazarre contributor Janis Marek Harper found that these lyrics extended strength and support. Jeanne Haner's "Bulls Eye," an interactive art-cum-game of darts of sorts, conveyed that cancer is blind to gender, race or age.
Items from local vendors such as Revival Market and Antidote Coffee complemented the art. Music by Robin Kirby followed by the Grifters & Shills contributed to an informal, down home tenor suitable for the chatty throng of 150 to share stories of survival. Keeping guests food happy was Liberty Kitchen Oyster Bar's Travis Lenig with a spread of seafood gumbo, house smoked salmon, crab balls atop a zesty remoulade and fresh campechana.
Bidding for a good cause were Heather O'Connor, Mitch Cohen, Henry Vojetk, Chaz Nadege, Daniel Perrone, Caroline Thomas, Estella Rucker, Joyce Ballenger, Kelly and Andrew Doig, Letty Benning, Juliet Rothwell, Kat Furley, Alan Mauk and Nathan Foyil, and Jamie and Kyle Manley.
Matt and Lori Smith at The Brazarre.
Celebrity Leslie Bibb is a fan of the Houston-based brand 11 Juillet. Photo courtesy of 11 Juillet
