SBMA Women’s Board The Art of the Table Opening Soirée

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art Women’s Board presented their signature fundraiser, The Art of the Table, an exhibition event at the museum’s Stanley R. McCormick Gallery Level 1, on Friday, June 7. On view were 11 “Tablescapes” created by local to L.A. designer-owned businesses. The soirée drew close to a standing room only attendance throughout the evening. 

The event co-chairs were Cathy Milner and Linda Wortham. Their event committee members were: SBMA Women’s Board President Paula Farrington, Janet Budreski, Marna Coday, Claudia Dunn, Tobi Feldman, Jeanne Fulkerson, Kathy Hartz, Katherine Murray-Morse, Christine Nachman, Karen Tenzer, Pei Shu, and Jaimie Wight. 

The framework of the event is to have participating interior and floral designers create a Tablescape – an interpretation of a work of art from the SBMA’s permanent collection using a table as the base of the art. SBMA curators – Chief Curator & Curator of Contemporary Art James Glisson and the Elizabeth Atkins Curator of Asian Art Susan Tai – assigned the artwork to each designer used for their Tablescape inspiration. 

I took a moment during the VIP reception to interview a few Montecito exhibitors. Here is what they shared: 

Holly and Bob Murphy of Coast2Coast Collection with Claude Monet’s Les Villas à Bordighera, 1884. Holly explained her Tablescape, “Using the Monet art, our imagination took us inside the villa if you were having dinner, and we created a luxury fantasy table setting with the view of Monet’s garden. We used Versace dinnerware, Arte Italica glasses, Christofle silverware and water pitcher, these are heritage brands that have been around for 200 years. And flowers by Hogue!”

Marc Normand Gelinas with Jules Bastien-LePage’s The Ripened Wheat, 1884, shared, “My idea for the Tablescape is that he [Jules Bastien-LePage] has not done the painting yet, and he invited his friend over for lunch and is showing him a sketch and watercolor of the painting. Everything I designed and used – desk, chair, art objects are pre-1870s.”

Jerry Peddicord and Kristi Meland of Hogue & Co.with Gao Jianfu’s Flowering Plum, 1708.Peddicord shared, “When I saw the artwork we were assigned to use for inspiration, I was taken back as it has only seven blossoms in it and is monochromatic compared to our floral designs! And this Tablescape is what I came up with. We worked hard on it, doing tone on tone. it is quite a departure from our usual work.” Meland added, “I love it, it is very sophisticated, and I think Jerry did a wonderful job executing it; it is the art of the table!”

Jennifer Williams,Store Managerof Emily Joubert Home & Garden designed the table for Vase with Dragon Design, Korea, 19^th century. Williams explained that their store is heavily stocked with similar vases which they used in their Tablescape design.

Kimberly Hayes of Maison Kwith Petra Cortright’s I/O with TCL/TK_pricewaterhousecoopers Romz, 2018. Exhibitors from Summerland, Santa Barbara, SLO and Los Angeles were: Caroline and Steve Thompson of Cabana Home with the sculpture Dancing Ganesha, Remover of Obstacles 11^th century. Caroline and Jeffrey of Diani Living with Twelve Zodiac Animals in Human Attire, Sui Dynasty, 6^th – 7^th century. Kaitlyn Tapp of Habitat Home and Garden with Todd Gray’s Purnima, 2018. Jamie Hallows of Harrison Designwith Jules Breton, The Pardon, 1872. Tamara Kaye-Honey of House of Honeywith Ernest Ange Duez’s Woman in Grey on Board Ship, Gazing at the Sea, 1873. Diana Dolan of Porch with Relief of Three Dancing Nymphs, Roman, Libya, 1^st century CE.

As fluted glasses of champagne were passed to the VIP guests for a toast, Farrington provided the welcoming remarks, and thanked the sponsors, donors, underwriters, and guests for their generous support. She acknowledged the Women’s Board, the event co-chairs, and their committee members; and concluded with, “Let’s toast to art and the role it plays in our lives.”

Farrington introduced the Eichholz Foundation Director Amada Cruz who said, “This is my first Art of the Table and it’s pretty spectacular. Thank you to our exhibitors who went all in, the creativity and wonderful effort you put into it. Thank you so much to the Women’s Board, and at what point do I get to call you Ambassadors?! Let’s toast to the Women’s Board in their 75^th year who are transitioning into Ambassadors, a new phase. Feel free to visit the museum exhibitions we have on view and enjoy Art of the Table!”

Seen at the eventwere Deborah and Thomas F. Loeb, Christopher T. Wight, Kathy Wenger, Clay Tedeschi, SBMA Director of Institutional Advancement Stacy Cullison,SBMA Director of External Affairs Karen Kawaguchi, SBMA Events Manager Wendy Darling, and SBMA Deputy Director of External Affairs Susan Bradley.

The Women’s Board of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art was established in 1951. The Board’s purpose is to support the Museum by raising funds for its exhibitions, acquisitions, educational programs, and special projects. 

411: www.sbmawb.org