OFFICE PDX attended the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s annual Gala last night, called TADA (as in “ta-da” we are announcing the line up for the 2010 Time Based Arts Festival). I’m also on the board but last night I went on behalf of Twenty Four Seven, while Tony was there representing OFFICE PDX.
OFFICE put together a pretty cool package for their silent auction called Work It. It included everything you need for your home business / project / hobby: a major discount on a fab blu dot desk and chair, complimentary graphic design services, wholesale pricing from our favorite Portland printers, Brown Printing + a special email marketing package from Emma. None other than Nicole Vogel, the fearless leader and owner behind magazine publishing house, Saga City (publishers of Portland Monthly, to name a few), walked away with the items. Thanks, Nicole!
The space was packed at “post 419″ at The Bison Building (owned by Twenty Four Seven) with more than 300 of Portland’s design leaders, artists and patrons. There were several tables by Nike, including one hosted by fellow PICA board member, Michael Shea and his wife Kelly Tweeden, also a Creative Director (who was one of the panelists at OFFICE’s Women in Design event in March). Heavy hitters from Wieden + Kennedy were there, too, such as Dan Wieden and John Jay, along with companies like the ever fabulous Laika (PICA board member Kirk Kelley is our current PICA board President, in fact), Boora Architecture, Holst Architecture, PNCA, Nau, more Nike (the event was co-chaired by Tim and Juliana Hershey), blog diva Lisa Radon and her super stylish Portland Center Stage / drummer hubby Tim DuRoche.
The items were amazing this year – really arts focused across visual, dance, performance and music. The item that everyone lost their minds for was the private party for 100 or so people the night before TBA as a “sing along” with Rufus Wainwright and Thomas Lauderdale. Seriously, someone at our table was standing on her chair screaming at the auctioneer to make sure that she saw her number!
Storm Tharp donated a special little fashion piece as well, which was lovely. His prints are absolutely unforgettable. Seriously amazing – we are talking The Whitney!
All in all, the board, the community and the wonderful staff at PICA outdid themselves. My only regret was not taking more photos — great paper flower interiors and some amazing outfits / pieces like Bruce Carey’s red and white stripe graphic tie and PICA’s own Victoria Frey’s smoking hot white dress.
I did have some fun supporting PICA and winning voodoo donuts for the table as part of their live auction item — which was an on-the-spot delivery of a platter for all. The photo below shows OFFICE PDX’s creative director, Tony Secolo, taking a bite of the Captain Crunch donut while pal Jeff Selis, from W+K, enjoys (?) his grape Kool-Aid topped donut.
PICA attendees Secolo + Selis enjoy some voodoo donuts we purchased at the gala
A great night in Portland and for the Arts!
