MAD ABOUT ART - Fountain Gallery's Annual Art Auction & Benefit

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 21: "MAD ABOUT ART": Fountain Gallery's, Annual Art Auction and Benefit" on Thursday Evening, November 21, 2013, at Cedar Lake on West 26th Street between 10th and 11th Avenue in the Chelsea Section of New York City, NY MAD ABOUT ART, Fountain Gallery's Annual Art Auction and Benefit, took place on Thursday, November 21, 2013, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at Cedar Lake, located at 547 West 26th Street in Manhattan. This year’s event was entitled “A Black and White Affair,” featuring striking black and white décor; the 500 guests who attended were requested to wear black and white cocktail attire. One hundred original artworks will be presented at auction to benefit the member-artists of Fountain Gallery, NeYork City’s premier venue representing artists living with mental illness. Musical Guest: Singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega was the special musical guest. Event Chairs were: John P. Casaly, Rick Froio, Carmel and Brett Fromson, Dario Gristina, Leslie Harwood, Rich Hiler, Louis J. Mantia, Bonnie and Frank Pratt, Jerry Schumm, Gabriel Stefania. Ms. Harwood and Messrs. Froio, Gristina and Schumm are past Fountain Gallery honorees. VIP Attendees included: • Federico Castelluccio of HBO Television Series “The Sopranos” • Richard Greene Broadway producer of PETER AND THE STARCATCHER • Agnes Gund • Frank Maresca • Todd Masters • Chrissie Miller • Faith Ringgold • Yvonne Maria Schaefer • Suzanne Vega About Fountain Gallery - Founded by Fountain House in 2000 as a not-for-profit exhibition space for its member-artists living with mental illness, Fountain Gallery sells original artworks and collaborates with a wide network of artists, curators and cultural institutions. Embracing artists who are emerging or established, trained or selftaught, Fountain Gallery cultivates artistic growth and makes a vital contribution to the New York arts community. Agnes Gund, President Emerita of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), has commended the Gallery as “a place where you can view fine works of art made by a group of excellent artists.” About Fountain House Fountain House is a global leader in creating an approach that responds concretely to the social impact of living with mental illness. It offers a placewhere, every day, hundreds of members – people living with serious mental illness – choose to come to contribute their talents, learn new skills, access opportunities, and forge friendships. The “therapy” of Fountain House is its working community.Artworks by Gallery artists can be viewed at www.fountaingallerynyc.com PHOTO CREDIT: Saskia Kahn (courtesy of Fountain Gallery)