Inside The MAD About Jewelry Opening Benefit with Anna Sui, Mary McFadden Helen Drutt English, Kay Unger

Museum of Arts and Design’s (MAD) recently appointed Nanette L. Laitman Director, Tim Rodgers, opened the twenty-first edition of MAD About Jewelry on Monday, December 6, 2021, saying, "Welcome back to the Museum and thank you for welcoming me to my first MAD About Jewelry. Thank you to our MAD About Jewelry Director Bryna Pomp for championing one of the Museum’s most beloved benefits, showcasing designs of more than 40 emerging and acclaimed US-based jewelry artists."

The week-long show and sale of one-of-a-kind contemporary jewelry opened with a benefit evening honoring esteemed educator and advocate for contemporary craft Helen Drutt English. MAD Board Chair Michele Cohen lauded Drutt as the Founder and Director of her eponymous gallery in Philadelphia, which was among the first galleries to make a commitment to the modern and contemporary craft movement. She has transformed our understanding and appreciation of craft. For the past 35 years, Helen has been an integral part of MAD’s history to showcase artists advancing jewelry as an art form. "

The annual MAD About Jewelry acquisition prize was presented to artists Amy Lemaire and Michael Nashef. MAD's Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs and William and Mildred Ladson Chief Curator Elissa Auther shared "Each year this award is presented to luminaries in the field of jewelry. The prize is in keeping with MAD's long-standing commitment of presenting jewelry as an art form. We are the only American museum with a gallery dedicated to the display of contemporary and modern studio jewelry with our own collection of more than nine hundred pieces. Pieces from Amy and Michael now join our collection."

Chairs for the evening were LaVon Kellner, Deidre Quinn, and Kay Unger. Advisory Committee members attending included MAD Board Members Michele Cohen, Marsy Mittlemann and Barbara Waldman, as well as Susan Ach and Ted Taylor. Guests included MAD Board Member Marian Burke, MAD Chairman Emeritus Barbara Tober, MAD Luminaries Co-Chairs Alexander Hankin and Christina Senia, Kathy Chazen, Chrissy Crawford, MAD Associate Curator Barbara Paris Gifford, Levi Higgs, Mary McFadden accompanied by her daughter Justine Harari, Anna Sui with her nieces Jeanni Sui Wonders and Isabelle Sui, and Shining Sung.

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