It’s that time again, and River Oaks will be hosting their largest annual fund raiser—the Van Gogh Gala. With the event taking place on November 1st, the theme this year will once again be Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. After the tremendous success of last year’s costume contest, attendees of this years’ Van Gogh Gala are encouraged to don their unique Dia de los Muertos attire again and proudly show off their creativity and artistic fashion.
“Van Gogh is really the ultimate representation of our mission–our resident artists act as mentors and help our star artists produce their own unique piece of art. The star artists, volunteer community and business leaders, always learn a great deal, and quite a few of them have found a calling as artists of their own right in the process,” says Rachael Dauzat, Executive Director at River Oaks. “The pieces are featured in a live auction at the event; Van Gogh has been our biggest fundraiser for almost thirty years.”
This year’s live auction will feature the works of thirty star artists, celebrating River Oaks’ Thirty Year Anniversary. The star artists are Kellie Peyton, Janet and Carl Ahrens, Carla Guillory, Amy Norton, John Gunter, Mayor Jerome Scott, Deborah Tillman, Anna and Paul Moreau, Kheli Tudor, Meredith Crotty, Loye Ayres, Dr. Devin Tighe, Brooks Harris, Robin Gosserand, Danielle Allen, Tommy Jo Phillips, David Crain, Kristie Fresh, Jennifer Sues, Hellon Kelly, Veronica Duncan, K.C. DiStefano, Lacy Blackmon, Mayor Jonathan Dean, Lewis McBryde, Ben St. Romain, Amy Pillarisetti, Danielle Williams, Mimi Kirzner, Judge Ross Foote, Katie Drell, Krista Redmond, and Noelle Crowell.
Van Gogh will be held at River Oaks on Saturday, November 1st, at 7:00pm. Ticket are $50.00 for individual tickets or $500 for a table. Van Gogh tickets regularly sell out prior to the event, so be sure to mark your calendar and buy yours early.
River Oaks’ October exhibit lineup is equally exciting, featuring Larry Thompson, Lynn Sanders and Benjamin Salley. El Paso resident Larry Thompson is known worldwide for his fine art–his works often juxtapose abstract painting techniques with words to create unique masterpieces with a message. Local artist Lynn Eustace Sanders, equally well known amongst art connoisseurs across the country, joins Thompson’s exhibit with her own lineup of unique abstracts. Her style is easily recognizable for its strong lines and layered brush strokes.
Rounding out the lineup is Los Angeles resident Benjamin Salley, an artist and craftsman originally from Pineville. “Not only is Mr. Salley’s amazing watercolor, oil and graphite artwork distributed through Saatchi, but his craftsmanship, unique creativity, and mechanical skills allow him to create artwork on unsuspecting mediums,” says Aubrey Bolen, Artistic Director at River Oaks.
The exhibit lineup is sponsored by the Coughlin-Saunders Foundation and Jackie and Charlie Elliott. Exhibit dates will be from October 14th through November 29th, with an exhibit opening scheduled for October 17th. The exhibit opening will also coincide with ArtWalk and the River Oaks Art Market @Artwalk, featuring interactive projects, live art and street side sales of original works. For more information, call River Oaks at (318) 473-2670.
