The American Folk Art Museum is a must-see for any art lover. There are two locations, one nestled next to MoMA (45 West 53rd) and the other across the street from Lincoln Center (2 Lincoln Square). The permanent and visiting collections are visual feasts, but no visit to the museum would be complete without an opportunity to charge up your American Express card at the gift shops, the source of many a charming piece that now grace this writer's home.

On November 11, Dick and Laura Parsons and Valentin and Yaz Hernandez hosted the American Folk Art Museum’s 2009 Annual Benefit Evening at the Tribeca Rooftop. The purpose of the evening's festivities was to raise money for the museum and to present the museum's Advocates for the Arts awards. The 2009 Advocates for the Arts award recipients were: financier Arpad Busson; art collector David L. Davies; author Adam Gopnik; antique-dealer brothers Leigh and Leslie Keno; art collectors Taryn and Mark Leavitt; Chevalier of Arts and Letters Award recipient Dorothy Lichtenstein (Roy Lichtenstein's widow); past president of the Folk Art Society Jeffrey H. Pressman; Architectural Digest’s editor Paige Rense; and architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.

The dinner presentation began with Laura Parsons addressing the crowd, telling us how she recently heard Michelle Obama speaking to a group of museum directors about the importance of arts in children's education. Visiting a folk art museum is a clever way to introduce art to young children. Folk art with its vivid colors and accessible designs is the perfect medium to jump start a life of art appreciation and hopefully creation.

The many tables were filled with art lovers from New York and beyond (two guests at the where I was also a guest, had flown in from Orlando just to attend the benefit). Kristina Johnson, a longtime museum supporter and art collector, had traveled to the dinner from her home in Princeton, New Jersey where she is an advocate for the arts. Muralist Anne Harris was also present at the table as was Penny Katz, half of the married, collecting team of Allan and Penny Katz.

Barry D Brisken, the Chairman of the Board of the Museum who was sporting a pair of Folk-Art-Museum-quality eyeglasses, greeted the guests as they arrived. According to the press release from Jonathan Marder and Associates, "the gala’s guests [also] included: Emily Frick; Lucy and Mike Danziger; Stephen Lash; Tom and Diane McGrath; Sylvester and Gillian Miniter; Judy and Peter Price; Sarah and Louis Wolfe; Robert and Marjorie Hirschhorn; Henry Buhl; Betsey Pochoda editor of the magazine Antiques; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Armstrong; and Maria Ann Conelli, Executive Director of the American Folk Art Museum." The evening had the feel of "old home week" for the artisitic and hip.

According to the press release from Jonathan Marder & Associates: "The evening raised $584,380, which will go towards the American Folk Art’s exhibitions and award winning educational programs that serve more than 8,000 New York City public school children each year."

For more information about the musem, log onto their website:
folkartmuseum.org

Toni Colon with her daughter Hostess Yaz Hernandez
Photo Credit: Daniel Perry of New York Cool


Penny Katz, Sarah Spurling and Maria Ann Conelli,
Executive Director of the American Folk Art Museum
Photo Credit: Daniel Perry of New York Cool


Phyllis L. Kossoff and Hostess Laura Parsons (L)
Photo Credit: Daniel Perry of New York Cool

Host Dick Parsons and Awardee Arpad Busson
Photo Credit: Daniel Perry of New York Cool

Connie and Andy McElwee and Mary Beth Kelly and Peter Flynn
Photo Credit: Daniel Perry of New York Cool

Leigh and Leslie Keno
of Antique Roadshow
Photo Credit: Daniel Perry of New York Cool

John Hays of Christie's and Lucy and Mike Danziger
Photo Credit: Daniel Perry of New York Cool

Awardee Adam Gopnik
Photo Credit: Nick Hunt of Patrick McMullen

Award Winner Arpad Busson
Photo Credit: Nick Hunt of Patrick McMullen

AwardeeDorothy Lichenstein
Photo Credit: Nick Hunt of Patrick McMullen

Jean Shariroff, Yaz Hernandez, Sarah Wolfe and Gillian Miniter
Photo Credit: Nick Hunt of Patrick McMullen

About the American Folk Art Museum (from the press release from Jonathan Marder & Associates): The American Folk Art Museum is the nation's leading organization dedicated to the field of folk art. Each year, the museum serves more than 165,000 from across the nation, around the world, and from all walks of life. The museum enjoys a distinguished history of presenting high-quality, original exhibitions and enriching education and public programs that provide children and adults of all ages with a better understanding and appreciation of our nation's diverse cultural heritage through folk art. In addition, the museum serves as a source of scholarship in the field through scholarly catalogs, and its website and research library. The American Folk Art Museum is located at 45 West 53 Street, New York City, just west of the MOMA.

folkartmuseum.org