Jay Gatsby, or F. Scott Fitzgerald for that matter, would have felt right at home at the Vero Beach Museum of Art last Saturday evening, which celebrated its 30th anniversary with a Great Gatsby Gala.
“It’s really impressive inside; very Art Deco. It just brings you right back to the Roaring Twenties,” said Museum Director/CEO Lucinda Gedeon as she greeted arriving guests.
Dapper, tuxedoed gentlemen escorted lovely ladies who had gone all out with their stylish attire, gorgeously adorned with sparkly beads and fringe, feathered, glittery headbands and boas. Adding the finishing touch, young flapper-girls from the Charter High School pinned boutonnieres on the men’s lapels and gave strands of pearls to the women.
It was a night filled with wonderful surprises. The elegant crowd of 450 guests gathered for cocktails under a tent by the museum entrance as blowing bubbles effervesced around them, relishing the beauty of their surroundings, including an outstanding 1932 Packard on loan from Orin Smith. Just as Gatsby would have done at his “West Egg” mansion, guests were treated to a spectacular fireworks display before heading in to dinner.
Inside was even more impressive, with the great hall and the atrium decorated with opulent elegance in gold and pearls. Hutchinson Floral Design had artfully designed centerpieces of tall lighted pillars glistening with pearls and white ostrich feathers pluming out from the top, which were set atop rich gold tablecloths.
Co-chairs Ellen Ferro and Kate Graham and their committee began planning the event last March, utilizing their imagination and the Internet to come up with all the creative touches.
“The 30th anniversary gem is pearl, so the Roaring Twenties and Great Gatsby came up. We Googled Gatsby and came up with all these fabulous ideas,” explained Ferro, adding that the two of them hand-strung each of the 250 pearl necklaces given to the ladies.
“It was a fun theme,” added Graham. “The special part of the 30th anniversary is that this museum has become such a great asset to the community. We love this museum.”
Elizabeth Kennedy Catering orchestrated an elegant dinner featuring Vegetable Napoleons, Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Bordelaise and a sumptuous Chocolate Marquis Cake for dessert served with mini Grasshopper cordials.
While they were dining, projections of artwork were displayed on the walls, digitally altered by members of the Charter High School to include pearls on the art subjects. Later, guests “cut a rug” on a dance floor set up in the lobby to the talented River Town Band to close out the delightful evening. Guests were also gifted silver 30th anniversary wine coasters.
It was a momentous occasion 30 years ago, when the Vero Beach Museum of Art, then known as the Center for the Arts, first opened its doors. From the initial establishment of the Alliance for the Arts in 1978 and 1984 ground-breaking ceremony to the public opening on Feb. 1, 1986, and the continued improvements in the decades since, Vero Beach residents have put their heart, soul and millions of dollars into the creation of one of Florida’s preeminent museums.
