EAT YOUR ART OUT! FEAST AND ENJOY!

Plan your Valentine dinner for February 20 at the Herrington Inn! Yes, it's after the traditional Valentine Day, but what a great opportunity to celebrate in a fun, new and philanthropic way!  Reservations are still available for this unique and exclusive event; it's more than just a phenomenal four course dinner with wine pairings, it's an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful memory and fine artwork for a lifetime.  This one-of-a-kind event is the only fundraiser sponsored by the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission; Eat Your Art Out! replaces the popular and much lauded Dancing with Geneva Stars.

Which piece of art will inspire the Herrington Inn's Executive Chef Jason Tsoris to create the masterpiece dinner for the Eat Your Art Out! gala event on February 20? Will Jan Schmuckal's painting inspire the luscious dessert, or will the main entrée be inspired by Don and Ellen Ljung's fused art glass piece? That's the challenge given to master Chef Jason Tsoris.  The four course dinner including three wine pairings begins at 6:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception.  The art work, in various mediums, will be on display throughout the evening and available for purchase via a live and entertaining auction following the dinner.  There will be several silent auction items available for guests to bid on as well.

Featured artists Don and Ellen Ljung (donellendesigns.com) have been partners in life for over four decades.  At their studio, Don, a former physics professor, runs three kilns. They work collaboratively, and Ellen's expertise in color is matched by Don's experiments with new ways to design with the glass.  Together, they create jewelry, serving pieces, art panels, table tops, and wall art using the brilliant colors of glass and wide range of light diffusion and reflection of dichroic glass. They work from their Geneva studio.

The fourth featured artist is Jan Schmuckal (janschmuckal.com). Jan is a native of St. Charles.  She graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Industrial Design and spent years as a designer in the Point-of-Purchase Industry. Jan made a conscious decision to go in an impressionistic direction as an artist. In 2005, Jan  opened an art gallery in a historic home in Geneva. "The changing light of day and the moods it evokes are the foundation of all my oil paintings.  Strength, mood and simplicity are my primary intentions, more so than depicting a particular place or time."

Tickets for this one-of-a-kind event are $100.00 and are available to purchase on line at the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission web site www.genevarts.org. For more detailed information, call the GCAC line at 630-938-4530. Seating is limited for this exclusive event, but a few reservations are still available...order prior to February 14 to secure your place!  Proceeds benefit the GCAC creating diverse cultural arts experiences for the community.