An exciting evening filled with sophistication, glamour and priceless art combined with the lure of mystery drew art enthusiasts to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art last Saturday for the coveted “Mystery in Masterpieces: A Mystery Hunt at the Museum,” presented by The Women’s Board of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
The black-tie event kicked off at 6 p.m., but some guests arrived early to plan out their bidding strategy for the highly anticipated silent auction hosted by Tiffany & Co. at the Ludington Court. Even Holly Golightly from the iconic movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s would have gushed over the Paloma’s Zellige pendant designed by Paloma Picasso, Frank Gehry orchid drop earrings and an elegant Breakfast at Tiffany’s for 10 guests at La Cumbre Plaza.
Cocktails were served in the Campbell and Preston Morton Galleries, and with drinks in hand the guests made their way to a buffet station in the Davidson Gallery, where they helped themselves to duck confit salad, mango chicken salad stuffed with Poblano peppers and citrus red snapper Crudo catered by the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara and catering chair Lilyan Cuttler.
At the stroke of 7 p.m., attendees assembled at the Preston Morton Gallery, where clue master Jamie Fleming outlined the mystery hunt rules. Clue sheets, pencils and gallery maps were provided to assist the quest and solve mysteries within the works of art.
Fleming has been a key figure in organizing mystery hunts since 1989, and along with fellow clue masters John Jensen and Gary Krueger has developed more than 18 mystery hunts, raising millions of dollars for the museum.
Fleming playfully warned participants that a few clues were sure to be easily spotted, but then advised that the duration of the mystery hunt would indeed be challenging and suggested guests pair up to solve the clues. Guests were also reminded that knowledge of art was not required, but employing a keen eye while looking at the artwork was essential for solving the mysteries in the one-hour time limit.
Guests quickly scattered in all directions across the main gallery, gripping their clue cards and pencils. Tensions were high, and the smell of competition filled the air as teams roamed from room to room laughing, debating and pointing to portraits as they whispered their findings and wrote answers on clue cards.
Coffee and desert were served in the Ridley-Tree Gallery at the conclusion of the mystery hunt, and later the crowd reassembled inside the Mary Craig Auditorium, where the mysteries and prizes were revealed to an eager audience.
SBMA Director Larry Feinberg and SBMAWB President Gwen Baker offered warm introductions, and Fleming hosted a slideshow presentation displaying each work of art in which the answers were cleverly hidden.
Moans, groans and whoops of elation filled the auditorium as Fleming provided answers to the clues and prizes were awarded to the winners. Third runner-up Kathleen Waltrip, who won the mystery hunt last year, received a pair of tickets to any play during the Ensemble Theatre Company’s 2011-12 season and a $150 gift certificate to The Andersen’s restaurant.
Second-place winners Catherine and David Major received one night’s stay and dinner for two at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, and first-place winners Bob and Lisa Johnson were awarded an original oil painting titled “Sunset” by Ralph Waterhouse of the Waterhouse Gallery.
The Women’s Board has contributed more than 60 years of service to SBMA, including fundraising for exhibitions, special projects, acquisitions and education programs for at-risk youths, such as Art in Motion, Homework/Artwork After School and PAL After School Art. Proceeds from the 2011 mystery hunt will help fund the new exhibit “Picasso and Braque: The Cubist Experiment, 1910-12,” running Sept. 17 to Jan. 8.
The Women’s Board of SBMA thanks the following sponsors for their generosity:
» Platinum sponsors: Montecito Bank & Trust and SBMA Women’s Board sustaining members.
» Gold sponsors: Gwen and Henry Baker, Susan and Claude Case, Deanna and Bill Major, Gretchen and Marshall Milligan, Regina and Rick Roney, and Barbara and Wayne Smith.
» Silver Sponsors: Susan Bowey, Business First Bank, Kathi and John Chulick, Lilyan Cuttler, Nancy and Ralph Edebo, Beverly and Bruce Hanna, Judith Little, Marilyn Magid, Mary Maxwell, Sheila and Frank McGinity, Nuveen Investments, Carol and Stephen Olson, Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree, Nancy Schlosser, Linda and John Seiter, Tracy and Bruce Stouffer, Susie and Hugh Vos, Kathy and Bill Weber, and Pat and Joe Yzurdiaga.
— Noozhawk iSociety columnist Melissa Walker can be reached at mwalker@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews, and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.
