Over the river and through the wood, to Grandmother’s house we go. The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh, through the white and drifted snow. When Lydia Marie Child wrote those words in 1844, she couldn’t possibly have been referring to Collectors’ Choice 28. Still, it’s a fair description of how guests journeyed from Point A to Point B the night of the Denver Art Museum’s signature fundraiser.
After enjoying cocktails and conversation in El Pomar Grand Atrium of the DAM’s sleek new Frederic C. Hamilton Building, museum director Lewis Sharp and chaircouples Fred and Jana Bartlit and Peter and Philae Dominick beckoned for all to follow them through the Boettcher Canyon Walk; past the Anschutz, Martin & McCormick, Dietler, Gates and Adolph Coors Foundation galleries; across the Reiman Bridge leading to the Raymond T. and Sally C. Duncan Pavilion; and down a flight of stairs to Ponti Hall where dinner awaited.
Folks were on the move again after dining on Bar Harbor peekytoe crab on brioche toast, spinach salad, Colorado lamb and Valrhona chocolate cake from Castle Pines Catering. This time, to the nightclub-for-a-night Schlessman Hall to hear Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Patti Austin. And to sample a variety of sweets and gourmet coffees.
The $800,000 raised that night goes to the Jennifer Project, a memorial to Jennifer Moulton, who as Denver city planner played a key role in the DAM’s expansion.
The Jennifer Project commissioned New York artist Joel Shapiro, who attended Collectors’ Choice, to create a 32-foot-high outdoor sculpture to be installed in a garden between the Hamilton Building and the Clyfford Still Museum. Models of it were used to decorate the dinner area.
Wilma and former Mayor Wellington Webb, who were especially close to Moulton, were among the guests at CC28, ditto for current Mayor John Hickenlooper and his wife, Helen Thorpe.
The black-tie crowd also included the man for whom the Hamilton Building is named, Fred Hamilton, and his wife, Jane; Amy Knox, creator of the Jennifer Moulton tribute video that was shown during dinner; Sarah and Chris Hunt; Michael and Renee Duncan; Lanny and Sharon Martin; Brown and Mardi Cannon; Lynda and Bob Dalton; Dianne Eddolls and Glenn Jones; Jeremy and Holly Arnold Kinney; and Beth Strickland.
The event fell on Marcia Robinson’s birthday so Barry and Arlene Hirschfeld had a cake sent to her table. Louise Hurlbut and Ann Swanson were talking about their new business, Benetere, which will design and sell environmentally friendly, “fresh and stylish” produce and grocery bags.
Other familar faces in the crowd: former DAM curator Dianne Vanderlip; Gail Schoettler; Cathey and Dick Finlon; Judi and Bob Newman; Kate Paul; Yvette and Chris Frampton; Annette Stott, dean of the University of Denver School of Art and Art History; Howard and Susan Noble; Bev Haddon; Melinda and Peter Douglas; Kathi Brock; Vicki and Trygve Myhren; Gloria and Landri Taylor; Nancy and John Sevo; Sue Powers; Eva and Dr. Denis Lanier; Carol and Larry Levin; Ruth Falkenberg; and Lisa and Robert Kessler.
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also,
