Living Art Award Recipients Honored By Silvermine Arts Center

From the Silvermine Arts Center: The Silvermine Arts Center community gathered Saturday, May 5, to honor the 2018 Living Art Award recipients at its annual benefit, which took place this year at the Tokeneke Club. As Silvermine nears its 100th anniversary, it is celebrating a “year of vision.” Speaking to a packed crowd of supporters, Board Chair Rose-Marie Fox said of the honorees: “They have had the vision to help Silvermine and support the arts in our community. They heard the call, and they said YES—and that has made all the difference in their lives and in ours.”

Accepting the Living Art Award on behalf of Hearst Connecticut Media Group for their coverage of the arts in Sunday Arts & Styles, Barbara Roessner, Executive Editor and visionary highlighted her team’s mission to bring focus and in-depth coverage to the vibrant art scene that enriches Connecticut. Fox stated that “Silvermine is pleased to be Hearst’s strategic partner as they use their voice and media platform to inform everyone that art plays an essential role in lives and community. Together we are a powerful advocate for art for all.”

Bill and Barbara Hilson accepted the Legacy Award for their significant, longstanding support of the Silvermine Arts Center. In her presentation of the award, Silvermine Vice Chair Robin Jaffee Frank emphasized Bill’s career as a technological innovator, designer, professor, and mentor—and Bill and Barbara’s over 15 years of dedicated support for Silvermine’s mission.

Board Member Emily McDermott presented the Artist/Educator Award to Nancy McTague-Stock, a beloved Silvermine Guild artist, teacher, and mentor who has worked tirelessly on a wide spectrum of projects for Silvermine, and who has a passion for bringing art education to under-served communities of artists. An accomplished artist with works in public and private collections here and abroad, Nancy organized the recent Perfect Partners: Art in Design exhibition, which explores the synergies of art and interior design.

Sophia Gevas, Director of Outreach Education at Silvermine, awarded the Outreach Philanthropy Award to Vivien White, who for many years has been a key sponsor of Silvermine’s Art Partners outreach education programs with the youth services organization Domus and its charter schools, Trailblazers and Stamford Academy. A Stamford resident who has served on the Connecticut Commission of the Arts for 25 years, Vivien has also held leadership positions on a number of nonprofit art councils. Her unwavering commitment to the arts, especially art in the lives of children, has made a difference. As Vivien says: “Art saves lives.”

Photo courtesy of Silvermine Arts Center