The fifth annual Stewpot Alliance Soup’s On! Luncheon and Art Sale was held Tuesday, January 29 at the Omni Dallas. Co-chaired by Kay Lunceford and Trish Weigand under the encouragement and guidance of honorary chairs, Joan and Elvis Mason, the annual luncheon which raises money for the services and programs offered by The Stewpot and soon-to-open 508 Park had a record attendance and moved total donations from the five-year history to over $1.2 million.
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| Honorary chairs Elvis and Joan Mason |
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| Author Wes Moore, Kay Lunceford, Steve Blow, Trish Weigand and Dr. Joe Clifford |
Performances by the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Varsity Choir and Ensemble and Dallas Wind Symphony greeted guests who mixed and mingled between original pieces of art by artists of The Stewpot Open Art Program and dining packages donated by participating chefs. Dallas Morning News columnist and Stewpot supporter Steve Blow emceed the event while New York Times best-selling author Wes Moore offered an autobiographical keynote lecture inspired by the ‘other’ Wes Moore who remains in prison for the murder of an off-duty Baltimore police officer and is the subject of Moore’s The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates.
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| Christy Coltrin and sculptor Brad Oldham |
Luncheon guests received handcrafted pewter coins as a token of appreciation from renowned sculptor Brad Oldham in collaboration with the Stewpot artists. Each coin was handcrafted by Oldham and the Stewpot artists and features West Wind, an architectural detail found on the 508 Park building.
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| Chefs Omar Flores, Jason Weaver, Bruno Davaillon and Brian Luscher |
Participating chefs included Randall Copeland, Restaurant Ava; Bruno Davaillon, The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek; Omar Flores, Driftwood; Keith Hanks, The Capital Grille; Al Havens, Salum; Jason Maddy, Oak; Danyele McPherson, The Grape; Chad Kelley, Café Pacific; Janice Provost, Parigi; Anastasia Quiñones, Komali; Abraham Salum, Salum; Nathan Tate, Boulevardier and Jason Weaver, Omni Dallas.
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| Artist Leon Pollard |
The 508 Park Project has acquired the historic building located across the street from The Stewpot and is transforming it into a multi-use facility to include a music academy, recording studio, concert amphitheater, rooftop terrace, community garden, and the Museum of Street Culture. In addition, The Stewpot's successful Open Art Program will be located there and a gallery for the homeless artists will be opened. The Project seeks to bring together people of all cultures and faiths through dialogue, education, music, and art.
