Artistic evening raises $100K for Arrowmont

Gary Wade, Lisa Line and Tim Line at the Art & Wine Auction to benefit Arrowmont.

Supporters of Arrowmont came together recently for the School's first Art & Wine Auction. The evening of fine art and fun featured both silent and live auctions of art by Arrowmont instructors as well as artists from the Gatlinburg community, a selection of rare and fine wines and interesting event packages. Cocktails and dinner were served under a tent on Arrowmont's lawn.

A very special highlight of the event was the decor, which highlighted Arrowmont's focus on the arts and creative expression. Each dinner table was individually decorated by a member of the event's planning committee and other volunteers, and featured personally selected plates and centerpieces. Some tables featured antique china, while others held handmade pottery pieces or focused on a theme, such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Arrowmont's Executive Director, Bill May, created custom-made, fused glass dinner and salad plates that were sold during the live auction.

The auction also featured oil paintings by event chair Margit Worsham, a private wine and pottery party in one of the school's professionally equipped pottery studios, an original oil by Katherine Tucker, a getaway to the Biltmore Estate complete with a wine tasting and tour, a handwoven ruana by Frances Fox, an original watercolor by Robert Tino, a limestone sculpture by Ross Markley, a Caymus Wine Dinner at the Park Grill Steakhouse, an original oil painting by Lisa Line, an original watercolor by Andrea Wilson and more. In all, 25 packages were offered during the live auction, with more than 50 items in the silent auction. The event netted more than $100,000 to benefit the ongoing operations of the school.

Among those attending were Bob and Marie Alcorn, Marilyn Anderson, Joe Barnes, Robert Batey and Dana Cohen, Barbara Huff BeVille, Sue Bock, Bill and Clara Carroll, Billy and Jill Carroll, Howard and Julia Clinton, Logan and Mignonne Coykendall, Pete and Cindi DeBusk, Dale and Suzanne Ditmanson, Chuck and Patti Edwards, Marcia Goldenstein, Jerry and Nancy Hays, Stuart Worden, Lane Hays, David and Cindy Henry, Jim Ogle and Cheryl Houston, Jeanie Johnson, Richard Jolley and Tommie Rush, Emily Kile, Sam and Lucy Kuykendall, and Tim and Lisa Line.

Others included Morton and Becky Massey, Bill and Anne May, Mark and Sandra McCown, Buddy McLean, Bud and Cindy Ogle, Ken Wade and Marion Paul, Jim and Margaret Samples, Jim and Jane Sidwell, Vicki Simms, Gary and Sandy Wade, Ron and Debbie Watkins, Lynn and Penny Webb, Mike and Cindy Werner, Rit and Carolyn Will, Dave and Andrea Wilson, Geoff and Pat Wolpert and Margit Worsham.

-Eddie Mannis was host for the Summer Swing, a benefit for Positively Living, an agency providing case management, counseling and financial support to help alleviate the struggles that homeless persons with mental illness, addiction, disabilities and HIV/AIDS face daily. Helping Mannis plan the evening were Ernie Hoskins, Mary Thom Adams, Susan Cunningham, Bill Mynatt, Chip Barry and Todd Cramer.

Guests were greeted upon arrival with drinks and appetizers on the porch of the Craftstman-style house before being ushered to the tiered gardens behind the house for the silent and live auctions, food, and entertainment. Rita's Catering provided the food, which included bacon-wrapped gorgonzola skewers, pecan-crusted chicken skewers with garlic-parsley aioli, cream cheese burger sliders with truffle oil and chives, crab cakes with spicy remoulade, herb cheese cocktail straws, and cake and cheesecake pops.

Nancy Brennan-Strange and friends provided jazzy music.

Celebrity bartenders promoted their signature drinks, created just for this evening, served at four different stations throughout the gardens. Robin Wilhoit promoted the Robintini, John Becker helped serve up Tidal Waves, Alan Williams hawked the Hollywood Swing, and Erin Donovan persuaded guests to try the British Gimlet. Votes — in the form of tips — helped fill the coffers for Positively Living. The celebrity bartenders took their duties seriously, walking through the gardens and extolling the benefits of their beverages.

Some who attended included David Butler and Ted Smith, Janet Testerman and Joe Graves, Rick Fox and Ralph Cianelli, Barry Schumpert, Bart Weaver, Brad Collier, Brad Tucker, Eric Burrell, Brandon Weaver, Brandon Rogers, Brian McMillan, Chris Holland, Chris McGee, Craig Shelton, Daniel McGehee, David Vogel, David Williamson, Diane Crutchfield, Donald Ward, Donna Smith, Dwight Price, Eric Bell and Frank Munger.

Also there were Gary Sharp, Jason Cope, John and Amy Gibson, John Law, John and Melissa Spry, Julie Poole, Kim Rush, Les and Susan Cunningham, Leslie Blevins, Mark Dukes, Michael Bryan, Mona Blanton, Peter Wilson, Randy and Ruth Mims, Richard and Linda Cramer, Russell Orlowski, Ruth Jamieson, Ryan Connor, Sara Price, Scott Bird, Scott Cavanaugh, Shannon Browning, Steven Frampton, Tammy Parmentier, Tancho Patino, Tate Coffey, Travis Pyle and Zane Henry.