Ray's List: Museum Gala

On her way to the ball, Cinderella found magic and a pair of glass slippers that Carrie Bradshaw would kill for.

At Saturday’s annual Glass Ball gala for the , the organizers and staff will supply both magic and some pretty artistic glass sculpture.

The gala will be held from 6-9 p.m. at the Noyes Museum, Saturday night, Sept. 17. Cost is $85 for Stockton faculty and staff and museum members, and $100 for all others. Proceeds will benefit the Noyes Museum’s exhibitions and educational, public and outreach programs. The Noyes Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.  

Here, Ray Tyler supplies a list of why you should be at this ball.

A Touch Of Glass With Artist Paul Stankard- I took a peek at some of the blown glass artwork of Paul Stankard as well as a piece prepared especially for Saturday’s Ball.

Stankard’s glass workings are as magical as any fairy god mother’s. Stankard’s artistry, I believe, is done without a magic wand, but still puts mere glass slippers to shame. In the piece created for the Noyes Museum, Stankard has created a colorful all glass moment in nature.

Stankard creates the blooming flower complete with the bee that pollinates it, all in a canvas of glass. My eyes saw it and I still did not believe it. Those hoping to see magic at this ball will not be disappointed by Stankard’s sculpture.

California Dreaming- The theme for this year’s ball is California cuisine & wine. And I mean the good California cuisine and wine as in the wine country watching a sunset with friends on a hill.

As opposed to California cuisine and wine on Sunset and Vine watching a different kind of evening activity and events from a taco stand. The Glass Ball gala with the open space of the Noyes and the beautiful natural view will offer attendees the feeling and foods of a fall early evening in the California valley, but right here in New Jersey.

Supporting The Arts In Galloway- According to the staff at the Noyes Museum, the money raised from sponsors and tickets to this event will bring over 500 artists to the gallery in 2012. No museum ever suffered from bringing in too many diverse artists.

Networking- The Noyes Museum has been a part of Galloway for more than 30 years. An event like this will bring together all the right people for one evening.

Many of the wrong people will also be there, and if you know like I do, they can be way more interesting than the right people. So if you are not a part of the social elite, you can sip wine and eat fancy hors d'oeuvres with the people who are. Seriously this is a great opportunity to meet some interesting people who may or may not be in your immediate circle.

The Music Teachers- Supplying the music for the ball are the popular band from , the Stockton Faculty Band Trio. The night will also include live glass blowing demonstrations courtesy of Wheaton Arts and Glass Museum.

You can get much more information at noyesmuseum.org/glass_ball.html.

Your donations are tax deductible, and the Noyes Museum in the course of a year provides artistic space for artists of all mediums, opportunities for people to see new and local artists and helps many young people experience museum quality art for the first time.

Saturday Night’s Gala is about much more than glass blowing and a night in California. It’s about the magic we all make and share through support of the arts.