DS9 Document EFTA00355741

From: To: Jeffrey Epstein <[email protected]> Subject: Fwd: Thank you for the highlights! Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 14:16:58 +0000 Begin forwarded message: From: David Kratz Subject: Thank you for the highlights! Date: December 30, 2014 at 9:06:53 AM EST To: Reply-To: David Kratz Dear Friends, As 2015 approaches and I look back on another year that was bigger and better than the last, I'm struck anew by the impact of the Academy's community. The many ways you support the school is what makes all our progress a reality. With so much afoot, allow me to recap... Go big or go home? Is more more? In the context of contemporary art, the Academy answered these questions with the Big Picture exhibition in February. Large-scale works by Vincent Desiderio, Eric Fischl, Neo Rauch, Jenny Saville and Mark Tansey came together to create an imposing collection of compelling artistry that confirmed yes, size does matter. While winter is not without its charm, the promise of spring takes on added meaning at the Academy. Tribeca Ball, honoring Laurie Simmons and Carroll Dunham, heralded the dawn of the new season with the theme "Nature Inspires," courtesy of our benefactors at Van Cleef & Arpels. Our annual fundraising fete saw 100 studios transformed into galleries as patrons, collectors and newcomers cocktailed their way throughout six floors of art and entertainment. EFTA00355741 What better graduation gift could you get than a feature story in The New York limes? Just days before we bid the class of 2014 farewell with a commencement address by Walton Ford, the Academy was profiled on the front page of the Art & Leisure section under the headline "Art School Creates a New Reality." To quote: "[The Academy] finds itself increasingly sought-after by young painters and sculptors, and in the middle of an orbit of successful representational artists, cutting across generations." But we didn't stop at The Grey Lady: this fall, the Academy hit bookstores with its literary debut, The Figure. Two years in the making and published by Rizzoli, this book is a visual celebration of the talent and inspiration of the Academy's community of artists -- as well as an embodiment of our mission. Traditional skills executed in the context of contemporary discourse never looked so good or read so well. If you haven't already see for yourself. While most New Yorkers were layering on clothes in October, we were looking for excuses to take ours off. Well into its third decade, our annual auction-meets-art-party Take Home a Nude took new inspiration from this year's Honorary Muse, Brooke Shields. After watching her graciously pose for Will Cotton at his pre-event drawing party, I can say from firsthand experience, not only can she hold a pose, she is a cherished member of our community. Deck the Walls may very well be my favorite event of the year. What began as a humble end-of-year thank you party has quickly grown into a holiday extravaganza. I can't imagine a better way to complete your holiday shopping than this festive mingler with 600 dear friends, 400 original artworks, and the occasional naked elf. With all that said, our efforts, in their many forms, come down to this: a belief that Art -- and the skills needed to create it -- lend meaning and impact to the world we live in. This is what compels us to walk through the doors of Ill Franklin each day. The Mid-Term Critiquesalways reinforce this belief. One by one, second-year students present as the entire school listens to feedback provided by a panel of visiting artists and faculty. It is a profound and inspiring moment when our artists stand before their work and reveal themselves to the world. The incredible work they show is why we're here. Our New Year's resolution, you ask? To best ourselves in 2015. With two students participating in the Venice Biennale, a panel discussion about The Figure at the New York Public Library a world-class sculpture exhibition titled Beautiful Beast and Peter Branton board as Tribeca Ball's honoree, we'll be hitting the ground running. That bar, however, doesn't raise itself. I hope you will join me in supporting the Academy with a 100% tax- deductible, end-of-year gift. Every contribution adds to our ability to carry out our mission. Thank you for your continued patronage, and Happy New Year! Sincerely, EFTA00355742 David Kratz President This email was sent to why did I net this? unsubsaibe from this list update subscription preferences New York Academy of Art . 111 Franklin Street . New York. NY 10013 . USA EFTA00355743