Festive, Philanthropic Dinner Gets to the 'Art' of the Matter

Daniel Ortiz

Trisha Weisman, Julia Gorga, Neera Patidar, Amanda Abiassi

CREATING AND VIEWING art has proven beneficial in medical and clinical settings — not only to patients, who experience greater healing, but also to the physicians and nurses, who report higher workplace satisfaction. As a global capital of medicine, Houston fittingly boasts an organization dedicated to just that: The Arts of Healing Foundation. Its annual holiday fundraiser raised more than $260,000 for physician and patient art programs.

The evening took place at the Post Oak Hotel, where more than 350 supporters turned out for a dinner and art show celebrating this year's honorees — Houston doctors — and beneficiary, The Sunshine Kids. A cocktail reception took place in the lobby amid an exclusive art show featuring works by some 20 local physicians. Holiday-glam guests perused the works before being ushered into the ballroom, where they first picked up a flute of bubbly from a stunning Champagne tower created by Blooming Gallery.

Valobra Master Jewelers donated a pair of drop earrings adorned with a total of 30 carats of amethysts surrounded by pink sapphires for the raffle, which was a hit! Another art exhibit in the ballroom displayed works by dozens of children who participated in the foundation's Summer Art Series Program, led by local docs in collaboration with The Sunshine Kids, which is a nonprofit group that provides resources to pediatric cancer patients.

After dinner, partygoers hit the dance floor to boogie down to hits by Password.

“This has been by far one of our most successful programs to date,” said Arts of Healing's executive director, Kristen Collins, in a statement. “We knew this was going to be a successful program, but we were overwhelmed with emotions with the result. The art was absolutely amazing and each piece incredibly personal of each child. Our response from our doctors was equally as powerful and truly met our mission word for word. We cannot wait to share this with the world.”