Phoenix Gallery Exhibit and Opening Reception

Participating artist Jane Pettit said, “The opening's success was a tribute to all your hard work. Enjoying it was delightful!”

“The opening was fantastic and I'm confident we'll help raise lots of money to buy running shoes for the girls of Ethiopia.” Participating Photographer Leah Beth Goodman

On Tuesday afternoon, Beth Cartland, Jim and I met at the Gallery to unwrap art and hang the exhibit. Along with Linda Handler, the Gallery Director, we tested and tried and eventually arrived at what we believed to be a lovely configuration of the pieces, all the while being shadowed by our filmmakers Andy and Nick. Beth, Jim and I were still there when everyone else left about 6:30 or so but finally called it a day around 7:15 ourselves, agreeing to meet when the Gallery opened again at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to finish off all of the assorted odds and ends that inevitably accompany such a venture. So Wednesday found us again at the Gallery until about 2:30 or 3:00, at which time we could finally say “Fini!”

On Thursday evening, we arrived at the Gallery almost half an hour early to find guests, including Westchester Track Club Founder/Coach Mike Barnow and several Ethiopian members of the Club, already there. It was a whirlwind of activity from then until after 8 p.m. when guests were literally shooed out of the building in order to close it. Other guests in attendance included Adrienne Wald, the WTC Club’s Newletter Editor in Chief, who arrived shortly after Coach Mike with several more Club members and additional friends; New York participating photographers Susan Liebold and Leah Beth Goodman, Leah bringing a crowd of Goodman family and friends; Lauren Mills, a NYC artist newcomer to GGRF; DC artists Jane Pettit, Gail Rebhan, and Joyce Ellen Weinstein. Runners from Ethiopia were especially excited to speak with Susan about her photos of Ethiopian girls. Altogether I would judge we had about 50 people come specifically for our exhibit. But it’s hard to say because there were several other openings in the building, two in the same gallery, and some people who had come for those also stopped in to see ours. So, we sold four pieces, including two of mine ("Charlotte" and "Waiting for Shoes") and continued to expand the universe of people who know about the cause.

These three photos comprise less than half of the exhibit, but you can get the idea.