After Sunday’s Academy Awards, it’s easy to have movies on the mind. With the 22nd Annual Gala of the Huntsville Museum of Art going on this week, I began to think about great movies depicting art – the creation of it, the emotion of it, the thrill of stealing it and the thrill of catching the thief to bring the art back unharmed – movies like the Thomas Crown Affair, My Left Foot, The Girl With the Pearl Earring and more.

A Week of Art and Parties

That’s right, I said going on this week because there is not one, not two, but three fabulous events that make up the Huntsville Museum of Art Auction and Gala.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Tuesday, February 26th: Luncheon featuring Southern Style Expert Haskell Harris
• Thursday, February 28th: Black Tie Dinner and Live Auction featuring artist Kevin LePrince
• Saturday, March 2nd: Gala Cocktail Party and Art Auction with music by The Swinging Medallions

Break Out The Tux

Thursday’s Black Tie Dinner and Live Auction is one of the area’s most upscale events. Not to mention the amazing silent auction! Up for bid will be various art, trips and treasures.

Some of the treasures include:

• A trip to France to stay in a glorious castle
• David Yurman jewelry from Loring and Company
• Amazing dinner parties including one held at local designer Beverly Farrington’s home
• Exquisite artworks (on display at the Museum now)
• And more!

You can get a peak at some of the livc auction items on the Huntsville Museum of Art’s Gala website

Chef James Boyce  will cater the meal. You’ll probably recognize Chef Boyce from the Boyce Concepts restaurants in downtown Huntsville, Cotton Row, Pane E Vino, and Commerce Kitchen. Dinner on Thursday begins at 7:00 after cocktails at 6:00. Auction begins at 8:00.

Can’t make it, but still want to bid? You can! Absentee bidding is available, so your love of art is limited only with the speed of your typing fingers on your keyboard!!  Visit the Huntsville Museum of Art’s Gala website for details on absentee bidding.

Rocking Finale

Saturday night brings the Museum’s Gala to a close, but this event does not go out quietly! In fact, if you happen to stroll through Big Spring Park and wonder what all the ruckus is, you can be assured it’s the Gala!

The Swingin’ Medallions, the “Party Band of the South,” will be rocking and rolling the night away. They played the Gala last, and only way we could get folks to leave was to literally pull the plug on the music. So when the time came to book a band for this year’s party, there was no other choice…

But what kind of music can you expect from this Greenwood, South Carolina band? They describe their music as beach music, frat rock, R&B, or shaggin’ music. You may know their songs “Double Shot (of My Baby’s Love)”. This song became a million seller in 1966, and has been a party classic for college students for decades. “She Drives Me Out Of My Mind” and “Hey, Hey, Baby” were top 40 hits in 1966 and 1967, but “Double Shot” remains the signature song of the Swingin’ Medallions.”

Little did they know that, 20 years later, my own father’s local band, REUNION, would make that song one of it’s favorites as it performed on the back stage of the Museum for the Summer Concerts in Big Spring Park.

Drive a Land Rover for a Year

Tired of the car you’re currently driving? How would you like to drive a 2013 Land Rover LR4? That’s what I thought! As part of this year’s fundraiser, one lucky winner will walk away with this amazing vehicle- for a year anyway. Here’s how it works:

• Purchase 1 ticket for $100
• Purchase 2 tickets for $150
• Only 400 tickets will be sold
• Tickets can be purchased at The Huntsville Museum of Art or by calling 256-535-4350 x 200
• The winner will be drawn on Saturday, March 2nd at the Gala

Note: you do not need to be present to win! But you do have to purchase your ticket if you want a chance at winning this pretty amazing car that I’ve heard described as bold, versatile, and astonishingly luxurious. Because let’s face it, you can’t win if you don’t play the game.

Featured Artist

This year’s featured artists is Kevin LePrince, who had a bit of a non-traditional path to becoming the artist he is today. Kevin graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in economics in 1992 and then spent 12 years in the securities brokerage industry. In 2004 he abandoned a position as a Vice President with a major firm to pursue a career as a professional artist.

You can bid on Kevin’s work at both the Black Tie Dinner Live Auction and the Art Auction. [spacer size=”20″]

The Cause

What is wonderful about The Huntsville Museum of Art is that we have some world class art right here in Huntsville, Alabama. The support of the community through memberships, combined with fundraisers organized by the Gala and the Women’s Guild committees, have enabled the Museum to showcase a wide variety of exhibits.

The Museum’s exhibits include not only oils, pastels and watercolors, but also current exhibits like the silver & glass exhibits, the Sound and Vision collection of great rock and roll photography, the Stender Family Interactive Galleries and the Gala Exhibition of artwork for sale, provided by various artists and the 2013 Gala Featured artist, Kevin LePrince.

The 2013 Gala proceeds will go towards Community Membership Programs that provide admission to families who could not otherwise afford it as well as funding children’s art classes and visits to the Museum.

Want to learn more about the Museum?

• Visit the Huntsville Museum of Art website
• Find the Huntsville Museum of Art on Facebook
• Follow the Huntsville Museum of Art on Twitter
• Read about past Huntsville Museum of Art events

Event Information

Event: Gala Black Tie Dinner & Live Auction
Date: Thursday, February 28th
Time: 6pm
Location: Huntsville Museum of Art, Williams Street entrance
Reservations: Visit the Huntsville Museum of Art Gala website for reservation information

Event: Cocktail Party and Silent Auction
Date: Saturday, March 2nd
Time: 7pm
Location: Huntsville Museum of Art, Church Street entrance
Reservations: Visit the Huntsville Museum of Art Gala website for reservation information