Carnegie Trees Celebration
′Tis the season for holiday parties, and nothing kicks off this time of year quite like the very merry Carnegie Museum’s Holiday Trees opening night celebration. On Wednesday, the Hall of Architecture was decked with festive trees inspired by Carnegie International artist Karen Kilimnik’s vision, described as a “joyful fantasy and a quest for the romantic sublime.” Think deconstructed gingerbread houses, blue peacocks, Russian ballerinas, tartan bows and fleur de lis dancing in the branches of five majestic Colorado spruce trees.
“She wanted our tree to be decorated as though a parrot from the Southern Hemisphere got lost and found his way north. He then had a party with woodland creatures in the snow,” said tree co-chair Carole Kamin, pointing to the colorful birds perched atop a glistening white tree where nestled cheerful squirrels and other furry friends.
New this year was a patron’s dinner complete with a movie-sized screen showcasing a wintry wonderland scene as guests dined. A piano player created a charming ambiance. “This is the Women’s Committee of the Carnegie Museum of Art’s signature fundraising event, and we wanted to expand the evening to give our guests even more to enjoy,” said president of the Women’s Committee Liz Wilson. Romantic and sublime, indeed!
#SEEN: Event chair Kathy Bantleon with cochairs Laurie Bly and Sandy Roberts; tree installation cochairs Carrington North and Barbara Thai; tree cochairs Sandy Ekstrom, Gez Ebbert, Janet Hunt, Gail Murphy, Jennifer Muse, Loretta Stanish, Katie Jones; CMOA co-directors Catherine Evans and Sarah Minnaert; #SEENBestDressed: Vivian Benter with husband Bill, Peggy and Steve McKnight, Dan Kamin and son Michael, Michael Forde and Eric Dorfman, Eliza Brown, Meg Cheever, Catherine Loevner, Tim McVay and David Bush, Shruti Gupta, Heather Chronis Danek and Michael Danek.