Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1468547
Art and romance meet this month with our wedding-themed "They're the Bomb" featuring Lisa and John Runyon. They are partners in life and business, and whenever I see this power couple in black-tie society pics, I'm reminded of old Hollywood: John with his slender physique and handsome face reminiscent of Errol Flynn, Lisa with her enchanting smile and effortless elegance à la Grace Kelly. Their lives are constantly on the go, but one afternoon we carved out time to chat. I loved how each would finish the other's story — a life shared and joyously recounted. John had an appreciation for aesthetics from an early age via his father, a Fort Worth dentist who began collecting art in the 1960s. John and Lisa met in the mid-'90s, when he co-owned a gallery called Turner & Runyon in Deep Ellum. One day he walked into the Thin Room, a local café, and laid eyes on her. "I was immediately smitten — and determined," he said. The two have not been apart since. Their courtship went on for two years. They never discussed marriage or kids while dating, but one day John asked Lisa to join him for lunch to meet a client. She walked in, and he said, "There is no client. How about we get married?" That was a Wednesday; they married that Saturday in Santa Fe. A few friends and family joined them for the intimate affair, and now they're about to celebrate their silver anniversary. When I asked about their honey- moon, they shared, practically in unison, that their adventure-filled life together has been one long honeymoon. "We were so compatible," John said. "Determined to be free and easy." They had no appetite for complicating their lives with children; they wanted to be free to travel and run the gallery. Then, after eight years, they decided it was time for the next chapter: first, to start a family, and second, to launch the advisory firm Runyon Arts. Since 2000, they have assisted clients through curatorial consulting for both private and corporate collections. The talents they've worked with are world- renowned contemporary painters, sculptors, photographers, and video- installation artists. While they've built this successful firm, they've also raised two children: Liam, 17, and Ivy, 15. You'd think they wouldn't have time for other pursuits, but one in particular strikes a chord: the TWO x TWO for Aids and Art fundraiser, which they co-host. In its 20-plus-year history, the event, held at The Rachofsky House, has raised more than $100 million to support amfAR's AIDS research initiatives and the DMA's contemporary art acquisition program. The benefit draws prominent artists (Alex Katz, Elizabeth Peyton, Yoshitomo Nara, Cecily Brown), collectors (local and those who fly in on their G4s), and philanthropists, as well as celebrities (Harry Belafonte, Rita Ora, Sharon Stone) for a week of events that culminate in a black-tie evening for 450. Drumroll please: For those who aren't on the email list that gets insider information, it was recently announced that the TWO x TWO 2022 honoree will be Rashid Johnson. Save the date for the gala: Saturday, October 22. Few events on our well-endowed social calendar are as absolutely glamulous (yes, I invented a new word combining glamorous and fabulous). Approximate date of photo. July 5, 1997. The occasion. Our wedding. What you were wearing. LR: An off-the-rack dress from Neiman's that needed no alterations, thankfully, since it was purchased three days prior to our nuptials. What price fashion. LR: My first major purchase was, of course, from Neiman's — an Hermès canvas bag that I carried for years. Why this is a Bomb.com picture. JR: Because we have always done it our way and still do — engaged on a Wednesday and married that Saturday. THEY'RE THE BOMB LISA AND JOHN RUNYON BY BILLY FONG Lisa and John Runyon, 1997 64