Far Out! '80s Bash and Art Auction Raises $500K for the Glassell School

Jenny Antill
Far Out! '80s Bash and Art Auction Raises $500K for the Glassell School

Heidi Gerger, Cynthia Bigelow, Jereann Chaney and Mary Arocha

A RAD PARTY at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston raised half a mil for its Glassell School. The highlight of the MTV-themed bash was an auction of works by Glassell alumni, which were on display among the tie-dye décor in the mod new building.


More than 200 guests dressed up in neon and ’80s-rrific attire to view and bid on the art before a buffet dinner by Swift & Company, featuring inventive Mexican fare like chicken-and-walnut enchiladas and lentil tacos, plus a guacamole bar — all washed down with coffee-and-Kahlua milkshakes for dessert.

A DJ spun tunes befitting of a MTV-themed party and revelers — including gallery bigwigs like Kerry Inman, MFAH patrons Lily and Harrison Cullen, and event chairs Leigh and Reggie Smith — boogied down in the name of charity. The evening’s till topped $500,000.

Bobbie Nau and Gary Tinterow

Lisa Fred, Jenna Lindley and Frances Lummis

Reggie Smith, Brad Bucher and John Guess

Micheline Newall, Sam Gorman, Laurie Minniece and Silvia Salle

Liz and Tom Glanville

Alfred C. Glassell, III and Marli Andrade

Cullen Geiselman, Mary and Tom Lile, and Robert Muse

Apama Strickland and Brad Blume

Carrie Brandsberg-Dahl, Judy Nyquist and Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl

Megan Olivia Ebel

Art + Entertainment
Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less

THE TRUFFLE MASTERS is returning for its 11th year on March 3rd. Now a Houston tradition of sorts, the competition sees top chefs creating a dish using black truffles all benefitting Southern Smoke.

Keep Reading Show less

A new look from the soft landings collection

FROM THE OWNERS of popular Montrose haunts Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart is another jetset-focused business. Owners Thy and Matthew Mitchell launched Foreign Fare in the fall of 2023 with long-haul travelers in mind. The pieces are wrinkle-free and designed to be functional as well as stylish. The line was recently featured in Travel & Leisure as a “first class look.”

Keep Reading Show less