On Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. High School was transformed into a colorful and interactive party, dinner, and award ceremony for Publicolor’s "Stir, Splatter & Roll" event. The three-and-a-half hour affair, which once again put guests to work painting alongside teenagers from the nonprofit's art program, raised $955,000 from table and product sales, auction bids, and donations. In fact, the students were an integral part of the event, highlighting Publicolor's work with underprivileged schools and children.
“The students of Publicolor participate in the entire event—they assist the team leaders throughout the painting process, staff the paint stations, are in the dining room throughout the event, and this allows guests to really meet the students they are helping,” said event producer Carol Anderson of Anderson Communications.
Two of the school’s hallways were home to colorful cocktails set beside spicy nuts and Parmesan cheese, passed hors d’oeuvres, and 22 painting stations headed by art, design, and architecture leaders like fashion designer Nicole Miller and industrial designer Tucker Viemeister. Guests who wanted to paint donned Tyvek jumpsuits over their formal duds and dove in to create original works of art, pieces that were later included in the night's silent auction. Other guests bid on art and other items through an online initiative by Charity Buzz and purchased Publicolor products, customized sneakers, and bags.
The art-themed gymnasium-turned-dinner area took on a youthful look. “It is a combination of student- and staff-painted banners reflecting the mission of Publicolor,” Anderson said. The 500 guests in attendance sat at tables decorated with tablecloths splattered with paint, painted chairs, and centerpieces designed by artist Vadis Turner, made of donated Benjamin Moore paint cans, used artist tape, paintbrushes, rollers, and tissue paper. Light sculptures made of hula hoops, extension cords, and exposed lightbulbs in the large gym were designed by Leni Schwendinger Light Projects and installed by Robert Stark Lighting. To further the art theme, pink and orange balloons and Benjamin Moore paint cans lined the room, and students wore colorful Publicolor T-shirts.
David Ziff Cooking catered the event, offering a family-style meal with vibrantly colored vegetable dishes like butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and grilled asparagus paired with grilled salmon and Mediterranean couscous. Desserts served on platters included chocolate cupcakes with colorful confetti and lemon tartlets.
The night concluded with a presentation onstage honoring CNN’s Soledad O’Brien and the Estée Lauder Companies’ volunteers, stories from Publicolor participants, and the gala's first live auction, led by Swann Galleries’ president Nicholas Lowry, which incited lightning rounds of raising money for scholarships. Speeches and stories were followed by a sing-along of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” with students in the program, Publicolor staff, and other guests joining in.
