THE ALBERTA AWARDS 2003 : Gala Dinner and Silent Auction at Georges at the Cove, La Jolla, CA.

Last year on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 the Alberta duPont Bonsal Foundation held a celebratory reception to recognize the winners of the 2003 Alberta Awards for Art and Poetry, Wendy Wischer and Rosemary Griggs respectively. Guests arrived at George's at the Cove in La Jolla to the tune of live jazz music and enjoyed cocktails and delicious hors d'oeuvres. Before dinner the Assistant Director for Programs and Senior Curator of the Miami Art Museum, Peter Boswll, Introduced Wendy Wischer, who spoke about her installation prominently displayed on the restaurants's outside walls. The piece, Full to Waiting and Back Again, was a large scale projection evoking the pases of the moon. The ethereal projection of the golden moon rising over the scenic La Jolla Cove was a breathtaking and memorable site. Rosemary Griggs then read several poems from Sky Girl, a collection of her work recently published by the foundation in conjunction with Fence Magazine. Guests enjoyed the experience of having her poems come to life when read aloud. Rounding out the festivities was a silent auction that included work by Wendy Wischer and Yvonne Venegas in addition to previous Alberta Prize winners Tania Candiani, Jacci Den Hartog and Jean Lowe. Although the party lasted only a few fleeting hours, Wischer's piece remained on view for a full 28 days, from December 8 to January 7, giving onlookers the opportunity to appreciate the work as it changed each evening.

2002 Celebration of Artists and Poets

On Sunday, May 4, 2002 the Alberta duPont Bonsal Foundation held a celebration for the poets and artists that have been named Alberta Prize winners. The event honored our most recent recipients for art and poetry in 2002, Tania Candiani and Tina Brown Celona. All of the previous poetry award winners and many of the art award winners travelled from all over the country to attend the party. The Cinco de Mayo Fiesta featured Mexican cuisine prepared by renowned Chef Emma Flores (below left) and a strolling Mariachi band at the home of Irene and Gough Thompson (party crowd shown at right). Guests included San Diego area museum directors and curators, gallerists, artists, writers and various patrons of the foundation. Tania Candiani's works greeted arriving guests and were exhibited throughout the Thompsons' home, along with an installation by Jean Lowe (Alberta Prize 2000) and Jacci Den Hartog (Alberta Prize 2000). Just before dinner was served, Tina Brown Celona initiated an interlude of poetry readings, followed by Chelsea Minnis (Alberta Prize 2001) and Rosemary Griggs (Alberta Prize 2003). Towards the end of the evening desserts were served, and Ms. Lourdes Torres Inzunza, inspired by the Mariachis, gave an impromptu serenade to the remaining guests.

Promoting the exchange between the literary and visual arts is one of the unique aims of the Alberta duPont Bonsal Foundation. The event showcased this union, which was one of the underlying currents of the whole weekend. Several of Tania's recent fabric pieces on display were inspired by verses from Tina's winning collection of poems, The Real Moon of Poetry. One of these works was used for the party invitation. The foundation also sponsored activities on the day before the party, bringing together the poets and artists in a more intimate setting. Saturday morning the poets headed down to Tijuana to visit Tania's studio and eat lunch (below right). In the afternoon, they came back across the border for a stop at Jean Lowe's studio in Encinitas. All enjoyed the opportuninty to discuss each other's work, and Chelsea Minnis was even moved to write a poem inspired by seeing Jean's studio, which she then read at the party the next evening. Tina was also very impressed with the artists' works, adding that she "could not imagine a more deserving person than Tania to have had the success she is beginning to enjoy thanks to the Foundation."

All in all, the event was well supported. Over one hundred individuals attended the party and even more sent in additional donations. Thanks to the generous contributions of supporters like you, the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta raised over $20,000. The foundation hopes that this will be the first of many such events, which not only raise money for future award recipients but bring together the two disciplines of art and poetry to be enjoyed by all.