Welcome to Art on The Town The Irish American Arts Awards at the Essex House. See below.

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About Art on The Town Press openings, galas and other events in New York City, the cultural capital of the world.

Exhibiting artist and member Emily Lee Crawford and Terrence Brown, Director of the Society of Illustrators at a members' exhibition reception.

Award winning artist Dennis Dittrich (in black shirt) upcoming President of Society of Illustrators.

Renée Phillips and Nadiya Jinnah in front of Nadiya's paintings at the Global Fusion Art exhibition at NoHo Gallery in New York, NY. Photo credit: Maryana Beletskaya.Website: www.MaryanaB.com View more of Nadiya's work in our Online Gallery.

The Whitney Biennial 2008 at the Whitney Museum of American Art, was the seventy-fourth in the series of Whitney Annual and Biennial exhibitions held since 1932. It presented eighty-one artists. With the Biennial the Dept of Education at the Whitney Museum launched "Open Studio", a new series of programs that brings together artists and the public in the museum's galleries and online.

One of the installations organized by the Whitney and Art Production Fund presented at Park Avenue Armory at 67 Street and Park Ave., from March 6-23.

Background: Seth Price, untitled piece in birdseye maple, butternut walnut and plastic, 168" x 216" x 1/8". Foreground: Ry Rocklen, "Blue Moon" found phtoographs, metal, silicone, papier-mache, and silver leaf, 44" x 72" x 21".

The Marymount Manhattan community enjoyed observing artist Everett Raymond Kinstler paint an oil portrait of bestselling suspense author, Mary Higgins Clark, at the College. Kinstler has painted more than 1,300 commissioned portraits, including two presidential portraits which hang in the White House.

Frances P. Harris, Blumberg & Harris, Inc., Art Management/Consultants and Joachim Pissarro, Curator, Dept. of Painting and Sculpture, MoMA, at the opening of "Out of Time: A Contemporary View" at MoMA press opening. Behind them: Cai Guo-Qiang, "Drawing for Transient Rainbow."

The First Irish American Arts Awards celebration was a huge success at the Jumeirah Essex House.It was held to recognize, encourage and celebrate artists of Irish ancestry across the world and highlight the investment potential of Irish contemporary visual art. Simon Pereira Shorey, Chairman stated, “We hope to support a thus far under celebrated area of achievement and enhance in our own small way the world of Irish art. We intend that the Awards will raise the overall profile of the field.”

Simon Pereira Shorey, Chairman, The Irish American Arts Awards with Renée Phillips, Director, Manhattan Arts International.

Kenneth Goldsmith, artist with Cheryl Donegan, artist and member of the judging panel.

Ambassador Tim O'Connor with Phillips. O'Connor gave an eloquent keynote address which celebrated the arts of Ireland.

Rebecca Carbino, (left) soprano, who sang for guests. Anita Daly, President, Daly Communications, a full service Irish American marketing company.

Courtney Patterson, (left) Cultural Affairs Officer, North Ireland Bureau, Washington, DC. Peggy Donovan, member of the Manhattan Arts International Advisory Board.

More events...

Hundreds of artists and art supporters came to Nurture Art's fundraiser at Cue Art Foundation in Chelsea. Every piece was available for sale for only $150 and many works were sold. For more information about Nurture Art go to www.nurtureart.org

Designer Maria Cornejo and Renée Phillips, Manhattan Arts International, at Maria's Atelier during a behind the scenes event presented by Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum.

Maria Cornejo's Atelier is located at 225 Mott Street.

Carlos Hausner of United Knitwear, and an advisor for Nurture Art spoke with artist Lynne Friedman after Hausner purchased Friedman's painting.

Artist Sparky Campanella and friend admired Julie Peppito's Bling Bling, mixed media sculpture made from trash, wire, and other materials at Nurture Art event.

Tsipi Ben-Haim, Exec. Director of City Arts; Edward Rubin, New York arts writer; and Sandra Indig, artist and psychotherpist at the Edvard Munch press opening at MoMA.

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