Greenwich Native Receives Silvermine's Inaugural Living Art Award

From Silvermine Arts Center:

The Silvermine Arts Center celebrated its inaugural Living Art Awards Benefit on Saturday night, May 21st , at Grace Farms. “Silvermine Arts Center is a cultural engine that contributes to the art and local communities in the area,” said Rose-Marie Fox, Chairman of the Silvermine Board. “It is our great honor to present the awards. Each honoree is a leader in her artistic field and has made a distinct contribution to our communities. We look forward to continuing our effort working together to further expand this vibrant institution.”

Best-selling author and renowned New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast accepted the inaugural Living Art Award for a body of work that has established her as one of our greatest artistic chroniclers of the anxieties, superstitions, insecurities and surreal imaginings of modern life. Chast’s new exhibition, “Cartoon Memoirs,” at the Museum of the City of New York runs through October 9, 2016.

“I knew when I was a little kid that I really liked to draw. I was terrible at everything else,” said Chast as she accepted the award from Mindy Green, Vice- Chair of the Board of Directors. “Art is a way to communicate things. My choice was to become a cartoonist. If you can write and you can draw, it’s a shame not to do both.”

Artist Constance Kiermaier accepted Silvermine’s Guild of Artists Award for her work as an artist, teacher, and mentor. “You heard me when I talked about being the oldest living emerging artist. That was only when I was 80,” said Kiermaier to an outburst of applause from the Silvermine crowd. “Now that I’m almost 89 I can’t say that any more because you have emerged me!”

Liana Moonie, a Lifetime Guild Member who together with her late husband Clyde was a founding donor to Silvermine’s Endowment, received Silvermine’s first Legacy Award. Moonie recalled the moment when she and her husband made the decision to help found an endowment fund: “I was falling in love with Silvermine more and more. It is such an unusual place…I said to Clyde now is the time to think of Silvermine…it will be for your children, grandchildren, for artists and for the community.” Liana emphasized that it is important for Silvermine to continue to grow in the community and encouraged everyone to join her in supporting Silvermine’s future by donating to the fund.

Over 200 artists and friends of Silvermine were welcomed to the sold-out event by Board Chair Rose-Marie Fox and Living Art Awards Committee Chairs Mindy Green and Emily McDermott. Guests danced to the Alex Donner Orchestra and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and dinner by Marcia Selden Catering. Silvermine faculty members Rachel Morris and Mark Andreas created the awards, which have a crafted mahogany base and a pewter inset based on a Hilda Krause tree design.

Rose-Marie Fox gave special thanks to the corporate sponsors and underwriters for the inaugural Living Art Awards Benefit including Hearst Newspapers, Diageo, David Johndrow Vineyards, Stella Artois, AMG National Trust Bank, Brooks & Falotico Associates, Inc., First County Bank. She also thanked Grace Farms Foundation and media sponsor, Moffly Media. Silvermine is grateful to all involved in making this a very special night to celebrate and support Silvermine.