Pilchuck Glass School Turns 40!

Ellen Bakke, Cathi Hatch, Colette Courtion, Patty Barrier,
Jan Hendrickson, Anita Braker

Last evening, Patty Barrier picked me up at home to go to the Pilchuck Glass School Annual Auction Gala where she had arranged a "Power Girls" table to help celebrate the 40th year of Pilchuck.  Jimmy was in San Francisco for a car dealers meeting and Ken, the Party Curmudgeon, was safely ensconced in front of the TV at home.

There were over 600 people in attendance and our tablemates included Colette Courtion, Jan Hendrickson, Ellen Bakke, Anita Braker with frequent visits by Pat Wallace, JJ McKay, Leslie Chihuly, Betty Rubenstein, John Otter, Brad Harlow, John Morris, Larry Hitchon and Tim Larsen.

Other friends we saw and talked with included Dale Chihuly, Dana Reid & Larry Hitchon, Alison Lewis Harlow & Brad Harlow, Dena Rigby, Duell Fisher, Connie Blumenthal, Joan Stonecipher, Mary Ann & John Hamer, Faye Hauberg Page, Ginny Ruffner, and a multitude of others.

It was fascinating to hear Faye Hauberg Page, daughter of original Pilchuck Glass School founder, talk onstage about the beginning of the Pilchuck Glass School and when her father and Dale Chihuly tramped through multiple acres on what was once a tree farm owned by her family to find just the right location for the school to be located where it is today.

Interior Fold Set Series by Benjamin Moore

The art was stunning!  Patty bid on and "won" a spectacular Benjamin Moore blown glass Interior Fold Set in the Live Auction.  Dale's gorgeous Silvered Soft Cylinder with Tangerine Lip Wrap blown glass piece went for well over value at $45,000.

Dale Chihuly Soft Cylinder Series

During the auction, the girls placed bets on what would be the selling price versus the stated value for each of the art pieces.  We would bet "under", "over" or "even".  As we began the auction, I was the only person at the table that bet the first item would go "over" value and since this was correct, each of the girls gave me one of their Fran's salted caramels as payment.  After the second auction item, when more of the Fran's caramels came my way, we decided to switch to quarters instead and we are still awaiting the outcome of who owes whom what and who was the grand winner since Patty became the bookie tracking the wins and losses in her program.  I'm hoping to be the recipient of the grand award (and the quarters too of course)!

All said, it was a marvelous evening with lots of money raised for art.  Happy 40th Birthday, Pilchuck!