All About Art: Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum Fundraising Auction

The director of the Frost Art Museum, Carol Damian, asked artists whose works are in the Frost’s permanent collection to donate a work of art for a special fundraiser to celebrate the museums 35th Anniversary. Andrew Reach and I were honored to donate his work “Middle of the Night in a Digital Dream” as a way of giving back to the institution that has been an important part of his artistic growth. Three of Andrew’s works were acquired by the Frost for the permanent collection after his solo exhibition at the Frost in 2008. The exhibition titled “Full Circle” happened at the inagural opening of the museum. It was one of six opening exhibitions along with “Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum”, which was the first stop of the blockbuster exhibition that would travel to other museums in the U.S.

click here to see the “Full Circle” exhibition page on the Frost art museum website

Frost Art Musem – photo courtesy HOK Architects

This has been an amazing journey with Andrew with the Frost Art Museum. As some of you may have read in my prior posts, this building has a very personal meaning to Andrew and I. This was Andrew’s last building as an architect before his spine disease took over and left him disabled.  Andrew was project architect and assistant designer to Yann Weymouth on the museum with HOK Architects.  At the time while working on the museum, Andrew would never have imagined that his art would hang in the grand gallery that he helped design.

Grand Galleries at the Frost Art Museum – Installation of Exhibition Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum – photo courtesy HOK Architects

The Frost Website says:

“The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University celebrated its 35th anniversary the evening of Saturday, November 3, 2012, with the inaugural All About Art Fine Art Fundraising Auction. The event, held in the grand galleries at the Museum and hosted by Co-Chairs Patricia & Phillip Frost and FIU President Mark Rosenberg and his wife Rosalie, featured art works donated by 78 acclaimed artists, was attended by over 350 art enthusiasts, and raised more than $200,000 in support of future Museum activities and programs. Major support for All About Art was received from Darlene and Jorge Pérez, Bacardi, Color Express, Museo Vault and Christie’s. Director Carol Damian and the staff of the Frost Art Museum wish to thank the Co-Chairs, the Host Committee, the sponsors and especially the generous artists and enthusiastic attendees, for making All About Art such a success!”

Screen shot from “All About Art” webpage (click image to enlarge)

Andrew’s work had much interest with multiple bids and ultimately it went to a prominent art collector in Miami who is also a trustee on the board of the Miami Art Museum.

Sam Champion & guest ( Andrew’s artwork is in background at left)

Sam Champion and his fiancee artist Ruben Robierb whose art
was also auctioned at event

Patricia Frost (center left), Carol Damian (center right) and guests

Click here to see my other post with the complete catalog of the auction.

Click here to explore more of Andrew Reach’s Art on his website www.andrewreach.com