We are still aglow from the success of En Foco’s Art & Cocktails Benefit and Silent Auction on November 12, 2013. The chilly evening warmed up at Dejavu Boutique in Midtown Manhattan, with an incredible turn out raising over $9,500 dollars in support of En Foco’s programs!
We wouldn’t have been able to do so without all of you, so here’s a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who came out, had fun, and supported us for this wonderful event – and a special thanks to photographer Ray Llanos for the great photos we are sharing with you now.
Here are some fun highlights from the night
Miriam Romais introducing En Foco’s Founder, Charles Biasiny-Rivera, to En Foco’s Chairwoman, Susan Karabin
Anne Eddy and Executive Director Miriam Romais laugh over a friendly bidding war
Introductions and new friendships being madeMiriam Romais and En Foco’s Program Director Dani Cattan
Yijun Pixy Liao (right) and her partner, MoroMuema and Lorie Caval
En Foco’s Program Associate, Dee Campos and Permanent Collection artist, Groana MelendezPermanent Collection artist, Gerald Cyrus with Ray Llanos (selfie!)
Olga Omelchenko (Nueva Luz Design & Production) with Lou Gomez
Jaime Permuth and Alejandra Regalado (Go see her En Foco exhibition! It’s at Pregones Theatre through February 7, 2014)Anthony Meyers from BCA with Lola Flash, discussing her print, DJ Kinky
Lou Mercurio, Bruce Miller and Frank GimpayaAnthony Meyers with Center for Book Arts Director and Curator Alex CamposBoard Member Bill Aguado (left) and Kathi Pavelick, with En Foco Permanent Collection artist, Wendel A. White
Sid Baumgarten and Terry Paladini-BaumgartenSusan Karabin (right) with son, Andrew Emerson and friend
Miriam Romais, Nancy Dubetz and Marcelo MacielPermanent Collection Artist Ana de Orbegoso (left) with fashion designer Elisa JimenezGerald Cyrus, Delilah Montoya, and Frank GimpayaOur Permanent Collection book, En Foco/In Focus: Selected works from the Permanent Collection. On sale at www.enfoco.org/enfocoinfocusGerald Cyrus signing Delilah Montoya’s copy of the Permanent Collection book
En Foco’s staff, artists, board and founder/founding members:
L-R: En Foco Permanent Collection artist and Founding Member, George Malave, En Foco Founder, Charles Biasiny-Rivera, and Board member and Nueva Luz creator, Frank GimpayaMiriam Romais and Charles Biasiny-RiveraSome En Foco Ladies! L-R: Program Director, Dani Cattan; Nueva Luz Designer, Olga Omelchenko; Executive Director, Miriam Romais; Volunteer, Lisette Poole; Program Associate, Dee Campos; Board Treasurer, Miraida MoralesDee Campos, Miriam Romais, and Dani CattanBottom Left going clockwise: Miriam Romais, Ana de Orbegoso, George Malave, Charles Biasiny-Rivera, Gerald Cyrus, Elizabeth Ferrer, Wendel White, Frank Gimpaya, Amelia Biasiny-Rivera, Bill Aguado, Dani Cattan, Delilah Montoya, and Groana Melendez
The donations and support we received are a testament to our strong and steadily growing community at En Foco. With every dollar received, we are able to continue to promote cultural diversity in the field of photography, cover the cost of exhibitions, publish Nueva Luz, provide our artists with monetary compensation for their work, and provide free workshops for our community. So again, THANK YOU for your dedication and investment in En Foco!
The Art and Cocktails Benefit was truly a success and it wouldn’t have been possible without you, our dedicated community members. 2014 marks our 40th Anniversary as an organization, and we cannot wait to celebrate it with all of you!