Indulge Your Senses

Living Arts of Tulsa’s 17th annual Champagne & Chocolate gala, holiday art sale and silent auction will be held November 19, 2011.

The heart of the Brady Arts District will become a dazzling spectacle on Saturday, November 19 at Living Arts of Tulsa’s 17th annual Champagne & Chocolate gala, holiday art sale and silent auction. It all takes place at Living ArtSpace at 307 E. Brady in downtown Tulsa. From 7 until 10 p.m., guests can view, admire and purchase from a selection of 300 pieces of art offered in the sale.

Steve Liggett, Living Arts of Tulsa artistic director, says, “We are pleased to showcase ­approximately 300 works of art presented by 100 of Oklahoma’s finest artists.” Each artist is ­invited to showcase his or her ­specialty in art forms that include paintings, sculpture, glass, ­jewelry, pottery, photography, fiber art, wood, furniture and more. Art pieces will be available at various prices.

Sponsors and patrons can get first picks at a special Preview Party from 6 to 7 p.m. Various sponsorship packages are ­available, each with specific ­privileges, by contacting 2011 Gala Chair Marjorie Bontemps at (918) 289-9447.          

Doors open at 7 for general admission ticket holders. Two silent auctions, at 8 and 9 p.m., will feature 50 to 60 items of ­various artistic disciplines. Throughout the evening, guests can sip champagne, munch on hors d’ oeuvres and nibble on imported Belgian and Eastern European chocolates. Twenty restaurants and vendors, ­including Glacier Confection, Dragonmoon Tea Company and Euro-mart, have donated food, champagne and chocolates to ­support the organization’s efforts.

For the first time, the ­holiday event will include special shopping hours on Sunday. Those who cannot attend the gala will have a chance to purchase art pieces from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, November 20.

The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is the longest ­continuously run contemporary art organization in Oklahoma. Since its inception in 1969, Living Arts of Tulsa has been dedicated to providing a venue to develop and present contemporary art forms. Creative and ­gifted artists are offered an open-minded environment where they can submit newly evolving ideas and works that are not accepted in conservative venues around the country.

Proceeds from the holiday gala, Living Arts’ biggest annual fundraiser, help support ­programs and activities for both contemporary artists and the ­public. These include creative workshops, performances, exhibitions, films, demonstrations of current art, lectures, related educational activities and research.

Marjorie notes that the gala draws a larger crowd every year. With each activity in the ArtSpace, more and more people are discovering the importance and beauty of contemporary art expression. The holiday art sale is recognized as a wonderful way to select unique one-of-a-kind gifts at budget-minded prices. “Everything we have will be really special,” she says. Every piece will have a story, a meaning, a connection. That’s the real magic of art.

Advance tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased at the Living ArtSpace or online at www.livingarts.org, until 5 p.m. on Friday, November 18. Tickets at the door are $35 each. Plenty of free parking will be available. The public is welcome to the art sale on Sunday afternoon. For more information, contact Marjorie Bontemps at (918) 289-9447.

 

For more information, contact

Living Arts of Tulsa

(918) 585-1234

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www.livingarts.org