The Contemporary Art Dinner Draws Colorful Art And Patrons

By Rob Giardinelli Photography by Whitney Arostegui and Brian Fitzsimmons

THE SETTING: Austin’s legendary Laguna Gloria venue was the perfect setting for the sixth annual Contemporary Art Dinner supporting The Contemporary Austin art museum. The evening, featuring 300 artists, philanthropists and community leaders, has become a must-attend event for top art patrons in Austin, Texas and beyond.

THE STYLE: Matching the beauty and the art on display during the VIP cocktail reception were the colorful ensembles worn by the partygoers, which perfectly complemented the pops of color that adorned the heritage trees throughout the majestic Laguna Gloria grounds. The fun continued inside Laguna’s Driscoll Villa where VIP’s rubbed elbows with artists while previewing the luxe array of art on display for the live auction later in the evening.

Guests took their seats for the evening’s program, dined on a delectable multi-course meal courtesy of Rosemary’s Catering, and were treated to a live auction conducted by Sotheby’s auctioneers Kevin Doyle and Christy Williams Coombs. The colorful theme of the evening was capped off by a paddles-up live auction, which raised over $550,000 to support permanent acquisition of the multi-colored Jim Hodge’s With Liberty and Justice for All installation. Located on The Contemporary Austin’s Moody Rooftop at the Jones Center on Congress Avenue, the installation has become an iconic image in the skyline of Texas’ capital city.

THE PURPOSE: The event, chaired by Val Armstrong, raised funds for The Contemporary Austin who seeks to reflect the range of contemporary art through commissions, education and exhibitions.