Tasting of the arts raises $4,500 for local charity

Chris Richards Arizona Daily Wildcat Matthew Harding, marketing director at the Landmark Cafe, prepares an exotic cheese dish Friday night at the UA Alumni Association's celebration "A Taste of the Arts." The evenings' festivities, which raised funds for Alumni scholarships, included food and beverages from local restaurants and an art show of UA alumni artists' work.

A time for wine-tasting, food-eating and art-admiring, the three-fold event included wine and food from local restaurants, a charity raffle and the UA Alumni Club's fifth annual art show for works by alumni artists.

"I think the draw this year was the food," said Jennifer Sprung, Alumni Association president.

She added the club "shot for the moon" when determining the turnout of the event. Three-hundred fifty $15 food tickets were printed and almost 300 were sold by 7 p.m. on Friday, raising about $4,500

Sprung said "Taste of the Arts" was an effort to attract a larger crowd than at typical Alumni Association events.

"Lots of food, wine, art - we came for everything," UA alumna Tracie Culy said. "We're really enjoying the food though."

Proceeds from food tickets went to seven Alumni Club scholarships, the scholarship fund and an after-school program for elementary-school children in at-risk neighborhoods said Nick Pierson, and Alumni Association Board Member.

Along with food and drinks from El Parador Restaurant, Habaneros and the Modern Mexican Grill and Brewery, Alumni Association guests enjoyed music from an a cappella quintet and Marachi Aztlan, a group from Pueblo High School.

"I just came to mingle and talk to restaurant owners. It's also a nice, cool night and I wanted to be outside," said Darren Haley, a Doubletree Hotel supervisor.

The food and wine tasting was held outside the Swede Johnson Building on North Cherry Avenue. The art show was inside the building.

Local artist Mary Schaefer said she has displayed her oil paintings at Alumni Association art sales for the past five years. Schaefer, who graduated from the UA with an elementary education degree, taught fourth, fifth and sixth grade for 14 years before deciding to paint.

"I found something I wanted to do and did it, "Schaefer said.

Alumna Ruth Harris said she attended the event because she is loyal to the school.

"The Alumni Association supported us with all kinds of things," she said. "We decided that we'd support UA all the way."