YES INDEED: GUILD HALL RAISED ONE MILLION DOLLARS

— The arts institution, which is at the heart of East Hampton, in every meaning of the word, held its annual gala on Friday, August 1, and raised more than $1 million. That money will go toward supporting the museum and its Theater and Learning Programs. What is special about Guild Hall is that everyone attending the Gala had so much fun doing it.

Photo credit: Sean Zanni/PMC

The evening was divided into rapidly moving parts: at 6 pm a step-and-repeat photo reception and cocktail party (during which guests were invited to preview two exhibits that would open on Sunday: “Mary Heilmann: Water Way” and “Joel Mesler: Miles of Smiles”) followed by a few minutes to enjoy the museum’s Minikes Garden. There was also a chance to visit the museum store, which had merchandise inspired by Miles of Smiles.

Because so many people were local, and could walk to Guild Hall, it had something of the feel of a very elegant block party. There were specialty libations from Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits and the Macklowe Whiskey and passed hors d’oeuvres by Acquolina

The director of Guild Hall with one of her two daughters, Gigi Lama. (Photo credit: Katlean De Monchy)

Because many guests had been to Guild Hall Galas before, and knew that things moved along rapidly, they took advantage of the chance to find old friends and chat. Guild Hall was known for its strict schedules, with speeches, entertainment and auctions. You had to get with the program. Cocktails were a strict one-hour affair.

In the Mary Heilmann gallery, “Water Way.” (Photo credit:Sean Zanni/PMC)

The 85-year-old painter Mary Heilmann grew up in San Francisco, where among other things she learned to be a high diver. Her fixations are water and geometry. She lives in New York City and Bridgehampton.

Another focus of the evening was recognition of Howie and Louise Phanstiel’s generosity to the museum. For those who have not met the couple, they have made their home in Amagansett since 2016. Before that, for some years they split their time between the East End and Los Angeles, where they had their professional careers in health services. Louise has been on the museum’s board of Trustees since 2023, and both of them are on the Board of Trustees of Syracuse University.

Howie and Louise Phanstiel, Andrea Grover and Marty Cohen (Photo credit, Sean Zanni/PMC)

Mary Heilmann with the museum director, Andrea Grover (Photo credit: Sean Zanni/PMC)

Katlean De Monchy (Photo credit:: Sean Zanni/PMC)

There were 350 guests overall, divided between the cocktail party, the sitdown dinner and the late-night (but not too late, since Guild Hall is right in town) dance party. Some of the notable guests included benefactors, artists, museum directors and art collectors. Among them were the Broadway producers Steward F. Lane and Bonnie Comley; the collectors Rick Friedman and Cindy Lou Wakeman; and artists, among them Bastienne Schmidt (multimedia), Arcmanoro Niles (painter), Galia Meiri-Stawski (abstract in various media), Almond Zigmund (installation), Sheree Hovsepian (photography), Toni Ross (ceramics), Ross Bleckner (painter), MAGO (graffitti) and the other artist whose work opened at Guild Hall, Joel Mesler, with “Miles of Smiles.”

Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley (Photo credit: Katlean De Monchy)

At 7 pm guests with dinner tickets were gently herded into the tent, where a tomato-peach-fig and labneh salad awaited, along with copious kinds of libations. (And those adictive parmesan cheese straws.) The tent was uplighted to seem like it was underwater, which went with Mary Heilmann’s water theme and the main course: black sea bass, with peas and crispy artichokes.

Andrea Grover with her husband, Tony Lama (Photo credit: Sean Zanni PMC)

More than food, there would be entertaining speeches by Andrea Grover, by other staff members. And there would be several performances, including a duet by the dancers Alex Haquia and Ethan Palma, choreographed by Michael Spencer Phillips.

Photo credit Sean Zanni/PMC

Among the other guests were the art advisor Kim Heirston; the gallerist Tripoli Patterson; Florence Fabricant of the New York Times; Fern Mallis, a significant figure in the fashion industry; the willowy Polina Proshkina, accompanied by the British banker Yan Assoun;Carrie Rebora Barratt, the director of the Longhouse Reserve; the theater producer Brian Moreland; the choreographer Gina Gibney; Charles Brock (a trustee of the Appleseed Foundation — a fascinating and valuable organization) and his wife, Mary Jane; and Christina Isaly Liceaga, another Broadway producer.

Michele Cohen, Kim Heirston, Galia Meiri-Stawski, staff member Kristin Eberstadt and Christina Isaly Liceaga (Sean Zanni/PMC)

Kristin Eberstadt, our multitalented chief philanthropy officer managed to raise an additional money for the museum by doing an interpretive dance and lip-syncing Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” Her ask was $25,000 a bid, urging diners to raise custom fans saying “I’m a fan of Guild Hall.” Her total was a whopping $175,000. That is one hard-working chief philanthropy officer.

IN FACT, THERE WAS A THIRD ACT

After all of that came dessert: It was called a flourless chocolate cake caprese, which sounded confusing, but was actually a famous Italian confection called Torte Caprese,” made with ground almonds and called “caprese” because it was invented on Capri. There is no mozzarella, there are no tomatoes. The alternative dessert was a fresh fruit tart.

Carrie Rebora Barratt and Joel Mesler, the other honored artist (Photo credit: MAGO)

The final two hours of the gala were all about dancing. The DJ was DJ Mick. Some people (younger museum patrons) could buy tickets for just this two-hour part of the Gala. It included those desserts!

Toni Ross (famed for the restaurant Nick and Toni’s) is now a ceramicist (Sean Zanni/PMC)

This was time for staff and guests to let down their hair. And while drinks flowed freely, most of all people felt great relief that the evening had gone off without a hitch.

Front row: Emanuel Wheeler, Kayla Matters, Charlotte Ferguson; Back row, Amy Kirwin, Guild Hall’s Chief Public Engagement & Impact Officer (Sean Zanni/PMC)

Not everyone was dancing. There were other diversions, funny food carts, tables for conversation. A chance to gather in informal groups and review the evening. Even a time to make plans for the after-party. Where are people headed? Surf Club? Anyone for the Hub? — Linda Lee

Jesse James Thompson, Jason Yarmosky, Ross Bleckner (Photo credit: Sean Zanni PMC)