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

Nicholas Buc (photo courtesy of Buc)

“IMPERIAL ATTACK.” “PRINCESS Leia’s Theme.” “The Land of the Sand People.” The titles alone are enough to invoke the soaring melodies, magisterial harmonies, and martial rhythms of John Williams’ score to George Lucas’s 1977 film Star Wars (later rereleased as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope). Williams’ musical leitmotivs for Princess Leia, Ben “Obi-Wan” Kenobi, and Darth Vader were as memorable as the characters themselves, and not surprisingly, the soundtrack became the best-selling symphonic album of all time. On July 28-29, the Houston Symphony presents a special screening of Star Wars, its dialogue and revolutionary Foley sounds intact, and all of the film’s musical cues performed live under the baton of guest conductor Nicholas Buc.

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BELLY DANCERS WITH flaming candelabras on their heads. A house band playing jazz mixes of pop songs. A DJ on weekend nights until 2am.

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