Art for Life

Rush Philanthropic's Annual ART FOR LIFE GALA 2008.

The Parrish Art Museum in Southampton held its most important fundraising event of the year, honoring Museum Chairman Alvin Chereskin.

Called The Midsummer Party, the evening was held at the museum under an air-conditioned tent erected for the occasion.

Guests included architects Michael Bekker, Dieter Mangold of Herzog & de Meuron, Debby and Billy Bancroft, Carlo Bronzini Vender, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Jeanne Pierre and Rachel Lehmann, Dorothy Lichtenstein, Lisa and Richard Perry, Nicole Miller, Sheila and Tom Wolfe; and artists Alice Aycock, Ross Bleckner, Chuck Close, Jane Freilicher, Malcolm Morley, Peter Schlesinger, Donald Sultan, Jane Wilson, John Gruen, Robert Wilson.

Event honorary co-chairs were Debby Bancroft, Kelly Sugarman and Katherina Ott-Bernstein. After Ten co-chairs were Jennifer Blumin, Field Kallop, Sabrina Hayat Mallick, Vanessa Packer, and Arden Wohl.

Dinner was by Glorious Food and Todd Barrie Music provided the dancing.

Terrie Fulton and Alvin Chereskin

Allison Morrow and Melanie Wambold

Beth Rudin DeWoody and Terrie Fulton

Bonnie Hoye and Troy Buckner

Debbie Bancroft, Katharina Otto-Bernstein, Terrie Fulton, and Kelly Sugarman

Carrie Kleinman and Brooke Christoper

Domna Stanton, Jim Stanton, Alexandra Stanton, and Janice Stanton

Brooke Christopher and Angela Ismailos

Cheri Kaufman and Raymond Gomez

Chappy and Melissa Morris

Carl Tetro and Julie Harvey

Campion and Tatiana Platt

Denice Wohl, Somers Farkas, and Arden Wohl

Geoffrey N. Bradfield and Lawrence Shaw

Clementine Crawford, Field Kallop, Jay Lidell, and Sabrina Mallick

Dan Rizzie and John Torreano

Melanie and John Wambold

John Torreano and Dan Rizzie

Howard Cox, Patty Raynes, and Robert Zimmerman

Leigh Fryd, Stewart Lane, Bonnie Conley, and Erica Wolf

Heather and Steven Mnuchin

Ira and Gayle Drukier

Jan Sprung and Dr. Harvey Manes

Megan Ruddy and Alvin Ing

Kim Taipale, Nicole Miller, and Malcolm Morley

Laura Pozvolska and Sonja Treemont-Morgan

Priscilla Zoullas, Denice Kaufmann, and Mesi Jilly

Nathan Bernstein and Dorothy Lichtenstein

Kelly Sugarman and Eric Bowman

Sheila and Tom Wolfe

Michael Dianda and Nicole Miller

Nick Hunt and Carrie Kleinman

Nancy McGann

Sarah Herbert Galloway and Patricia Duff

Jay Sugarman and Steve Miller

R.O. Blechman and Moisha Blechman

Rachel Balaban and Julie Schwartzman

Peter and Carrie Nelson

Susanne Murphy Albertson and Robert Albertson

Steven and Michelle Manolis

Todd Barrie

Dancing

Taray Slaughter, Neil Slaughter, and Jeannette Hektoen

Steve Eichner and Josephine Webb

Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic’s annual Art For Life East Hampton 2008 gala was held a private home this year with “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” theme. It got a big turnout and a big kick for the celebrity watchers. Aretha at a party is not everyday.

Founded in 1995 by brothers Russell, Danny and Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant exposure and access to the arts, as well as providing exhibition opportunities to under-represented artists and artists of color.

Rush Philanthropic fulfills its mission through three core programs: grants, exhibitions and mentoring. The Rush Community Grants Program annually provides direct funding to over 50 nonprofit organizations that offer education programming in all disciplines of the arts to New York City and South Florida youth.

Rush also runs two arts exhibition and education facilities: Rush Arts Gallery and Resource Center in Manhattan's Chelsea arts district and the Corridor Gallery in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill neighborhood.

The organization is currently in a fundraising campaign for Rush East New York, an 11,000 square-foot arts education and resource center opening in the coming year in East New York, Brooklyn. The building was a gift from United Homes. The Rush Gallery in the School and Rush Kids Visual Arts Mentorship Programs (a.k.a. Rush Kids/Teens) use arts education to create a spark that lights the imagination and creativity of the urban youth we serve. Rush Blueprint, formerly known as Rush Impact Mentorship Initiative, will launch this fall and will allow youth the opportunity to learn about and explore careers within the arts.

Governor David A. Paterson and David Johnson

Ming Lee Simmons, Russell Simmons, Aoki Simmons, and Porschla Coleman

Brett Ratner and Simian Rice

Aretha Franklin

Mario Singer, Ramona Singer, Governor David A. Paterson, Jill Zarin, and Bobby Zarin

Janice Combs, Sean Combs, Russell Simmons, and Padma Lakshmi

Brett Ratner, Alina Puscau, and Russell Simmons

Lorraine Bracco

Danny Simmons, Tangie Murray, DR. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Patrice Motsepe, and Russell Simmons

Tangie Murray, Arnold Lehman, Norman Feinberg, and Danny Simmons

Deborah Roberts, Tamia, Erica Reid, LA Reid, and Grant Hill

Alina Cho and Soledad O'Brien

Al Roker and Deborah Roberts

Jaci and Morris Reid

Julissa Bermudez

Countess LuAnn De Lesseps

Temeko Richardson and Stephanie Hunt

Kevin Leong and Rajiah

Mumdi Franklin and BJ Coleman

Nicholas Stefanov and Kelly Bensimon

Lauren Hudgins and Jane Viner

Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe and Patrice Motsepe

Rebecca Pokryska and Marissa Jartcky

Kathy Sussman and Sunny Hostin

Frances Hayward and Jill Zarin

Tracy Wilson Mourning

Christy Turlington Burns

Steven Kumble celebrated his 75th birthday with friends and family on Friday, July 4th with a special dinner cruise around Manhattan. Planned by his wife Angela, guests boarded the Mariner III and had a great dinner while cruising around the island of Manhattan. They returned to the pier in time to see the beautiful sunset and take in the fireworks.

Christine Carrozza, Roger Tellefsen, Jr., Roger Kumble, Mary Kumble, Todd Kumble, Jennifer Kumble, Philip Fiddler, and Jody Fiddler

Among the guests: Matilda and Mario Cuomo, Susan Fales-Hill, Maria Cooper Janis, Christine Carrozza, Roger Tellefsen, Jr., Roger Kumble, Mary Kumble, Todd Kumble, Jennifer Kumble, Michael del Giudice, and Robert Cattani.