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    green glam

    West U gala goes Old Havana glam for green spaces

    Marcy de Luna
    Feb 13, 2018 | 4:49 pm

    A red and white 1957 Nash Metropolitan Coupe, and a candy apple red 1957 Ford Thunderbird — plus a Cuban music trio and cigar bar — set the vibe at the 27th annual Park Lovers’ Ball, themed “Night in Old Havana.”

    More than 600 black-tie clad guests partied the night away at the Hilton Americas-Houston, all in the name of raising more than $400,000 for Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc., a nonprofit that works to renovate, expand, develop, and improve that community’s green spaces.

    Part of the total proceeds came from a live auction, led by Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart, which featured a Miniature Goldendoodle that went for a whopping $21,000. Other items ranged from an Africa photo safari to a week stay at Casa de Campo in The Dominican Republic.

    Chairs Jennifer and Daniel Blum and Jennifer and William Swallen helmed the event, which also featured portraits by world-renowned artist, Franco Mondini-Ruiz, commissioned during the gala.

    Late-night bites from Tila’s Taco Truck fueled partygoers, as lively tunes by Password kept the dance floor packed until midnight.

    In the crowd were auction chairs Kelly Beth Hapgood and Natalie Crossley, Jennifer and Gordon Richardson, Caroline and Justin Simons, Mitra and Josh Woody, Natalie and Austin Crossley, Franco Mondini-Ruiz, Kristen and Josh Smith, Kami Sisson, Mike Cavender, Marc LaMond, Maurielle Laurenne, and Mandy and Rafael Diaz.

    Ryan Fleck, Stephanie Fleck, Lilian Irani, Cyrus Irani.

    Houston, West University Park Lovers\u2019 Ball, February 2018, Ryan Fleck, Stephanie Fleck, Lilian Irani, Cyrus Irani
    Courtesy photo
    Ryan Fleck, Stephanie Fleck, Lilian Irani, Cyrus Irani.
    fundraisers
    news/society

    Party Watch

    Contemporary Western art shines at Galveston museum fundraiser

    Joel Luks
    Dec 18, 2025 | 10:00 am
    Bryan Museum Art Auction 2025
    Photo by Jacob McCready
    Ryan Horton, Meredith Peebles, Taylor Crowder, Kara Przybyl McIver, and David McIver.

    What: Art Untamed, A Night of Contemporary Western Art

    Bryan Museum Art Auction 2025

    Photo by Jacob McCready

    Ryan Horton, Meredith Peebles, Taylor Crowder, Kara Przybyl McIver, and David McIver.

    Where: The Lancaster Hotel

    The Scoop: With cowboy boots traded for cocktail attire, more than 115 artists and art lovers moseyed into downtown for Art Untamed, an evening that lassoed the spirit of the West with a modern twist.

    Now in its fourth year, the fundraiser benefiting The Bryan Museum was steered by a dedicated committee including Christine Glover, Linda and Bill Reeves, and Guylene and Jay Lendrum. The event spotlighted 32 Southwestern artists featured in the Visions of the West exhibit.

    Guests sipped and mingled during cocktail hour, sizing up 73 pieces ranging from luminous landscapes to storytelling textiles. The live auction, led by crowd-favorite auctioneer Randolph Holford, delivered a flurry of paddles in the air, especially for Bob Stuth-Wade’s radiant Santiago Peak from Chalk Draw, Nathaniel Garza’s moody Three Reasons, and Echo Ukrainetz’s intricate batik honoring cowgirl trailblazer Lucy Mulhall.

    The weekend kicked off at The Lancaster Hotel, where partner Jay Shinn hosted artists and VIPs at a reception in the historic property set to celebrate its centennial next year. During the festivities, museum founder JP Bryan captured the mood best.

    “A collection is an expression of a soul; it speaks to where our heart is,” he said. “That is why the museum was founded, to share the important story of Texas and the American West through a world-class collection, outstanding exhibitions, and educational programming.”

    The evening raised nearly $100,000 to support educational programming and outreach at The Bryan Museum.

    Who: Lori Leal Wedemeyer and Barkley Wedemeyer, Sassy Stanton, Bill Pinckard, Mike Glover, Shara Fryer, Barry Silverman, Frank Rynd, Deborah and Monte Stavis, Kelly and Luis Zúñiga, Kara Przybyl McIver and David McIver, Dianne Reynolds, Stephanie and Brent Kindle, Penny and Townes Pressler, Linda and Jerry Dickson, Bob Leibrock, Paulina Padilla, Nocona Burgess, Vickie McMillan-Hayes, Ricardo Robles, and Bob Stuth-Wade.

    museumsfundraisersbryan museumvisual-art
    news/society

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