Hot Night in Havana a sweltering success for Museum of Art

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art’s annual Fresh Paint fundraiser with a “Hot Night in Havana” evening on a hot night indeed, got even hotter with Danny Fay in his classic sexy Chiquita, or maybe Carmen Miranda, low-cut outfit. Former Beach Blanket Babylon and new Transcendence Theatre Company star Ellen Toscano and the seven-piece Cuban band Los Boleros did their part to raise the temperature as well.

Catherine Venturini’s Cuvée catering served lots of Cuban appetizers followed by serving platters of roasted pork, plantains and Cuban black beans and rice, escabeche, Cuban chayote and kale salad, and then a whole pre-cut Dulce de Leche cake at each table.

John Lasseter joined auctioneer Jordan Kivelstadt on stage for the first auction item to benefit children’s art programs at SVMA, a Pixar Studio Tour. As Lasseter kept sweetening the pot, with a set of his collection of Hawaiian shirts depicting each of his movies, tickets to the world premiere of his next movie, and a free shopping spree at a Pixar Studio store. No wonder it sold twice for $10,000 to Judy and Les Vadasz and Ken and Dana Simpson-Stokes.

Disney Executive Music Producer Chris Montan and dynamic Barbara Montan, who renovated and expanded the Hap Arnold family ranch, organized a table with Liz and Bruce Green, Susan and entertainment lawyer Richard Idell, artists Anne and Dennis Ziemienski, and Nancy and John Lasseter.

Robert Gardner masterminded a fabulous video featuring Sonoma Valley Unified School District Superintendent Louann Carlomagno, Polly Hultquist and others to highlight the importance of arts education for children, all of which stimulated a lucrative fund-a-need.

And then there’s the new “Surf Craft – Design and Culture of Board Riding” show going on, apparently drawing loads of former surfers wearing Bermuda shorts and flip flops roaming the museum and reminiscing with lots of “Wow’s.”

Anyone who ever surfed, wanted to surf or even designed or painted their own skateboard might enjoy this exhibition.