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86 AN EXQUISITE EVENING Sheri Jacobs, Blake Seff, Carrie Markello Eleanor Williams, Joey & Nicole Romano Cali Pettigrew, Sara Cain Will & Mandy Hixon Lindsey Love, Alex Epstein Justin Segal Honoree Gracie Cavnar & Bob Cavnar Trey Duvall Ryan Hickman Mac Broderick Jessica Seff Co-chair Jeryn Mayer Lily Cox-Richard LAWNDALE ART CENTER PLAYS SURREALIST PARLOR GAMES. By Catherine D. Anspon. Photography Daniel Ortiz. M ax Ernst and Marcel Duchamp were alive and well at Lawndale Art Center when the historic nonprofit reimagined the art of a benefit. The clever fund- raiser bowed to the tradition of the fabled Surrealist parlor game The Exquisite Corpse, reprising the notion of chance and collaboration chan- neled into the creation of artworks. Titled An Exquisite Evening, it was that indeed. Presiding were co-chair quartet Tim Kollatschny and Stephen Goldberg and Jeryn and Walter Mayer (she, board chair), joined by Lawndale director Stephanie Mitchell. Inventive masks, bowlers, green apples, ruffs, fascinators, and gloves all came out. The evening honored past board chair Gracie Cavnar, who is credited with saving the art center when it almost went under back in the day. Matt Johns' Matter took gala design to the next level, crafting silver foil into a grotto-like entrance — better than any red carpet. Decalcomania inkblot drawings, si- lent-auction artwork by James Surls (Lawndale found- ing director), Lily Cox-Richard, Dawn Black, and then artists-in-residence Sarah Welch, Randi Long, and Melinda Laszczynski, rounded out the night. SOCIAL CANVAS: The MFAH's Alison Greene; Misty Matin; Judy Nyquist; emcee Maurice Duhon Jr. (aka Cornbreadd); Bettie Cartwright; Jordan and Dylan Seff; Meredith and Ben Marshall; masked gents Fady Armanious with Bill Baldwin; past Lawndale direc- tor Eleanor Williams; Nicole and Joey Romano; Frida-esque Cali Pettigrew; artists Trey Duvall and Carrie Markello (known for her time as a Lint Lady); Wendee Lee Curtis; Ryan Hickman with lobster- claw hands; and Justin Segal, in birdcage headdress. Co-chairman Tim Kollatschny Co-chairman Stephen Goldberg David Politzer & Krista Birnbaum