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A surreal evening

Fundraiser helps support Historic Saranac Lake

Trevor and Megan Jackson, owners of Cantwell Jackson Design Build, a sponsor of Historic Saranac Lake’s Surreal Gala at the Hotel Saranac Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Jesse Adcock)

SARANAC LAKE — Glitz, glamour, an apple in place of a face — more than 130 people turned out for Historic Saranac Lake’s Surreal Gala at the Hotel Saranac this weekend to support the museum.

Many guests took costume inspiration from the work of surrealist artist René Magritte. The cocktail of the night was “The Salvador.” There were many more abstract takes on the surreal theme as well — with attendees showing up in rain clouds, egg yolks and glowing headdresses.

“We did our first Gala a year ago when the hotel opened,” said HSL Executive Director Amy Catania. “We just weren’t ready to give up on the 1920’s because it was so much fun, but we needed to do something different.”

After some research, she said HSL settled on a surreal gala.

“Because of the art of the times, Dali and Picasso … in the 1920s and ’30s,” Catania said. “There was just this explosion of new excitement around the arts. And people would throw these parties where they would get dressed up in wild costumes and just go crazy.”

Lonnie and Kathy Ford cut a rug to tunes from Crackin Foxy at Historic Saranac Lake’s Surreal Gala Saturday. (Enterprise photo — Jesse Adcock)

During their research, Catania said HSL also found a connection between those galas and the village — the Murphys. Sarah and Gerald Murphy, famous socialites in the ’20s, were tight with artists the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Catania said the Murphys often put together these kinds of parties with high-profile names.

“You name anybody in the arts and literature in the ’20s and they were friends of theirs,” Catania said. “Their son got sick with TB (tuberculosis) and they came here. So that’s an interesting connection.”

She said while HSL hasn’t found evidence of the Murphys throwing galas in the village, the couple did in places like Paris.

“It’s great to be able to support Historic Saranac Lake,” attendee Dylan Van Cott said. “It gives me a chance to wear my goat head. We were here for the first big one — so I figured why not do it again if the last one was so much fun.”

“I just wanted to wear something fun,” said Chessie Monks-Kelly, HSL museum administrator. “And when else do you get to dress up?”

Historic Saranac Lake Oral History Coordinator Kayt Gochenaur dons an impressive creation at HSL’s Surreal Gala at the Hotel Saranac. (Enterprise photo — Jesse Adcock)

Andrew Kelly said he didn’t want to go for arguably the best known surrealist work, Magritte’s apple-on-the-face “Son of Man,” but looked for an obscurer piece. He took inspiration from “The Human Condition,” attaching a window frame to his back.

“Surrealism,” Trevor Jackson said, “No matter what you do, you’re not wrong. It’s your own interpretation.” He and his wife Megan Jackson, owners of Cantwell Jackson Design Build, were a sponsor of the event. Trevor wore half an eggshell over his head paired with a yolk-mask. Megan’s face was half-covered with butterflies.

“I always look forward to the costumes,” said HSL Oral History Coordinator Kayt Gochenaur. She wore a rain cloud on her head. “Just looking around and seeing people.”

After an initial reception swing jazz band Crackin’ Foxy played some hits while attendees mingled and ate dinner and dessert. After a speech thanking the community for supporting HSL, Catania named Tim Fortune the guest of honor of the evening.

“It’s always a great thing to be recognized by your community,” Fortune said. “It’s a community of volunteers. I think there are so many standouts. It’s just an honor to be picked out of that caste.”

Some members of Crackin’ Foxy, from left, Wayne Davison, Alex Marklund, Jacob Stern, Mark Hofschneider and Russ Mulvey perform at Historic Saranac Lake’s Surreal Gala. (Enterprise photo — Jesse Adcock)

Catania said 136 tickets were sold. The general ticket price was $150. She said there were three cancellations because of the weekend’s snowstorm. Sales supported the continued operation of HSL, as well as helped fund projects like the Cure Porch on Wheels, and the planned acquisition and renovation of a new museum space in the Trudeau building at 118 Main Street.

“I think it’s pretty awesome in a town of 5,000 people, to throw a party in the middle of a snowstorm and still have 130 people come out to celebrate,” Catania said.

Dylan Van Cott and Cassandra Hopkins at the Historic Saranac Lake Surreal Gala Saturday at the Hotel Saranac. (Enterprise photo — Jesse Adcock)

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