Jamie Larson reports from Hudson. This year’s annual summer fundraising party for the Olana Historic Site, titled "Icebergs in August," was yet another example of the uniquely modern style — yet historically reverent ethos — of programming crafted by the hardworking Olana Partnership and staff. To accompany the unequaled views from the home of Hudson River School painting master Frederic Church, the event, which featured a silent auction and huge iceberg ice sculpture, was themed after a single painting. "The Icebergs" by Church was painted after a trip by boat to Newfoundland, 52 years before the Titanic sunk in the same waters. The painting itself was lost in England for 116 years, only to reappear in 1979 when it was sold at Sotheby's for $2.5 million, the largest amount every paid for a painting by an American artist at the time. The event, sponsored by a group of donors including presenting sponsor Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers, offered guests bites and beverages from several prominent chefs including Brian Alberg of The Red Lion Inn and the recently opened Eat on North; Dan Smith, chef and owner of John Andrews Farmhouse Restaurant; Devon Gilroy, chef at The Corner at Hotel Tivoli and others. There were also, given the evening's nautical theme, unlimited oysters from Other Brother Darryl's. It was a beautiful evening held in support of one of our region's most beautiful places, but it was the extra effort put into the details that set this party apart. (Pictured above: Joseph Caldwell III, former Olana Partnership president Sara Griffin, NYS Assemblymember Didi Barrett and J. Caldwell.)
Daryl Lee, Chris Warnassch, Alex Wright, Erik Piecuch; presenting sponsor Colin Stair with Partnership trustee and event co-chair Chris Jones.
Kevin Chun, Church descendents Sandy and Sky Blackiston, Olana curator Evelyn Trebilcock and Church's great-great-granddaughter, Isabel Livingston.
Olana Landscape Curator Mark Prezorski, Sheldon Evans, Martha McMasters and Owen Davidson; the talented craftspeople responsible for replicating some of Olana's period-appropriate curtains: Mitchell Motsinger and Christin Ripley, and Lynn Davis Studio manager Rebecca Johnson.
Lloyd Marks, Michael Tavano, Carolyn Zweben and Paul Zweben; a view of the VIP tent from the main house.
Party guests couldn't help but take many pictures of the iceberg created by Sean Taylor of Capitol City Carvers.
Self proclaimed "Olana fanatic" Dorothy Heyl with husband and independent candidate for Hudson Common Council President Tom DePietro; Anne Miller, Stuart Breslow, Rick Sharp, Mark Prezorski and event designer Albert Simmons IV.
Inside the tent, a massive shipwrecked mast, mimicking the one featured in Church's iconic painting, hung above the guests; Hannah Lawrence and Seth Anderson.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
