11th Annual Free Arts NYC Art Auction Benefit

For the past decade, my family has helped underwrite the annual Free Arts NYC Art Auction Benefit.  Co-Chaired by my friends Amy Sacco     and Mary-Alice Stephenson, the event has really turned into one of the truly fun affairs in New York each spring, and it just gets bigger and better every year.

Held at Saatchi & Saatchi, presented by Vanity Fair and DavidYurman , and hosted by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, this year’s event (the 11th) raised more than $1,000,000 to fund mentoring programs for at-risk children.

The photos that follow are some of my favorites from the affair.

Polaroid donated a whole bunch of their new Polaroid 300 Instant Cameras so that, with special “Paparazzi” laminates made by the Free Arts staff, some specially chosen kids from the photography programs were able to stage a pre-step-and-repeat station at the very beginning of the red carpet.  Simultaneously cute and cool!

Actor-artist Andrew Levitas stands with Israeli beauty Adi, in front of his piece Cappella Dei Mordi (a metalwork photograph), that when last I perused the auction, was heading steadily toward $10,000.

Here’s the painted-photo I donated, this year (Constance and Joey), hanging in between works by Hunt Slonim and Russell James.  Talk about “location, location, location…”

Bringing a bit of Bollywood to the scene is a breeze, when you’re standing betwixt such talented beauties as Rachel Roy and Donna D’Cruz.  Granted, my coat certainly didn’t hurt…

Artist Manager, Gabe Goldberg with downtown dance-music maestro, Farrad.  Gabe and I went to summer-camp together on the Oregon Coast, many moons ago; and Farrad is best-known for his ultra-fierce and highly-infectious single, “Pick Your Face up off the Floor” from his debut album, The Time is Now.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with tooting your own horn, every now and again; just so long as you don't start believing your own hype...

Lady Alexandra Hayden, decorator to the fabulous and the fabulously wealthy (they’re not always the same thing, you know…) with International Man of Mystery, John Lansing Teal.

John and Joyce Varvatos just make chic look so damned effortless.  And when you get right down to it, isn't that the whole point?

Here I am with the evening’s co-hosts, Ashley Olsen (sporting a vintage look by Yohji Yamamoto* accessorized with diamond “Lotus” earrings by Van Cleef & Arpels) and Mary-Kate Olsen (in head-to-toe Givenchy).  * = As Billy Beyond once pointed-out, so poignantly, “Yohji doesn’t design clothes; he creates looks!”

Nicole Ruvo (proving that a metallic woven python cuff from Bottega Veneta really might be a girl’s best friend) has a little quiqui in the corner with the magical and mystical Donna D’Cruz .

My friend Kalinka never produces a dress (or blouse or skirt or coat) unless she’s worn it, herself; though it helps that she uses nothing but the very best fabrics and brocades!   Here she is with her partner/husband/BFF, Stan Chopin (who makes a great man’s shirt, himself).

Coming to represent for the kids was Sean Avery, the Canadian left-handed left-winger for the New York Rangers, whose interests range from fashion to wine to food (his nouveau sports-pub in TriBeCa, Warren 77, is all the rage).