IS183’s Gala: Versace, Tchotchkes, Mariachi And A Hibachi
Amy Krzanik reports from Pittsfield. To say that IS183 Art School of the Berkshires throws a great gala would be an understatement, as anyone who’s ever been to one can attest. This year’s big blowout, on Saturday, April 11, was no exception, as volunteers turned the Crowne Plaza Hotel into the Versace Tchotchke Expo with Mariachi + Hibachi. Donatella Versaces (yes, more than one) catwalked their way through the ballroom, taking in the larger-than-life mariachi men and hovering lightning clouds, and posing for selfies with giant owls and Matrushkas. Human tchotchkes and hibachi chefs bid on auction items that included tickets to the sold-out July 4th James Taylor concert at Tanglewood, overnight stays at area luxury hotels, private massages, wine tastings, theater tickets and, of course, artwork including handmade jewelry, leather goods, portrait sittings, personalized photography and ceramics classes and other creative offerings you won’t find anywhere else. Funds raised benefit IS183’s Learning Through Arts (LTA) program, which serves more than 1,250 Berkshire County public school students of all ages in more than 15 area schools through after-school and summer art programs. In photo above, Hope Sullivan, IS183's executive director, and Nancy Fitzpatrick.
Six Depot's Flavio Lichtenthal and Lisa Landry with Emily Shaw; Peter and Leigh Boyd.
Tom Haskins-Vaughan and Elissa Haskins-Vaughan; David Slick, Robin Seeley, Arthur Cape and Pat Whitehead.
Tom Werman, Jenny Fenig and Steven Fenig; Vicki Bonnington, wearing the amazing tchotchke dress she made, poses with a mariachi man.
Reg Millington, Z Steinhauer, IS183 Associate Program Director Lucie Castaldo, Christina Barbieri and Chas Quimby.
IS183 Marketing Associate Carrie Wright and Bill Wright; Nancy Fitzpatrick, Joseph Wheaton and Seth Nash.
Artist Janine Strong, Josh Needleman of Chocolate Springs Café, Yuki Cohen of Methuselah Bar and Lounge and Adrienne Rynes; Ty Jackson and Brenda Petell.
The evening's DJ, Dave Leonard, and Maisie Rugen manned the "hibachi."; Ashley Junod, Rob Weisberger and Jenna Lanphear.
Jess Fitzgerald and Ben Evans, the ceramics studio manager at IS183; Mariachi men partied with the crowd.
Joseph Wheaton's projections made a stunning backdrop to the dance party.
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