In a city where the peculiar is celebrated and the quirky is just another Tuesday, The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art’s 43rd-anniversary party was the talk of the town — or should we say, the dreamscape? Dubbed “Dalidada: A Surrealicious Soiree,” the event transformed an ordinary eve into a whimsical experience.

Photo by Emily Jaschke

Jaqueline Levine, Michael Mandola, Scott Yoder, and Jonathan Beitler with Bob and Lane Schultz.

Co-chairs Dr. Terri Alani and Laura Stehr Peters must have had access to a portal into another dimension. The moment one stepped into the venue, patrons were enveloped by oversized eyeballs, dripping timepieces, and surreal scenes straight out of a Salvador Dalí fever dream. Local artists and community members crafted hand-made décor that blurred the lines between reality and imagination. Artist T. Lavois Thiebaud orchestrated an immersive performance that transported everyone into a dreamy landscape inspired by the mischievous mind of Orange Show founder Jeff McKissack.

The organizers took a moment to spotlight some real-life visionaries who've been sprinkling a little extra magic around the city. Art teacher Becky Mustachio was honored for inspiring thousands of young Picassos with her dedication to fostering creativity. The artist collective Moon Papas Art also took a bow, recognized for adding a new dimension to Houston's alternative art scene. Then there were patrons Barbara and Marks Hinton, whose unwavering support and volunteerism have been the wind beneath the wings of many an artistic endeavor in the city.

The silent auction had bidders tempted with works by local luminaries like James Surls and Libbie Masterson, and global artists such as Paul Kremer and Mark Seliger. The pièce de résistance? A custom grill encrusted with diamonds, courtesy of Prince Jewelers. Also up for grabs was a rare vintage Rolex and an Orange Show-themed gold and diamond ring by Peter Martino.

The gathering raised $700,000 for year-round arts and educational programming thanks to 500 art aficionados decked out in costumes who entered a world where fantasy met philanthropy.

Among the lovers of all things creative were Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Bruce Eames, Karen Oshman Lubetkin, Don Mafrige Jr., Katherine and Chris Gillman, Julia and Thomas Pascal, Will Robinson, Franny Koelsch-Jeffries and John Jeffries, Doug Lawing and Guy Hagstette, Melissa and Paul Dobrowski, Allie and Jay Fields, Fredricka Brecht, Jackie and Bass Wallace, Jereann Chaney, Debbie and Hance Myers, Desrye Morgan, Valerie and Lance Rosmarin, Amy and Jean Frizzell, Hesse McGraw, and Marilyn Oshman.