Photo by John E. Ramspott.
In the final hours before opening the curtains at 7 Stages Theatre this past Saturday, Craig Drennen silently reviewed his notes. He stood with the airy, smirking confidence of a Gilded Age robber baron, unfazed as volunteers in red t-shirts buzzed about like a swarm of crimson bees. BURNAWAY’s Art Crush Bash volunteer services auction would receive nearly 200 guests later that night. But Drennen, the official host of the evening, already knew his strategy.
The beginning was a roast. Drennen required no warmup; he opened with a fiery salvo of jokes aimed at yours truly and Susannah Darrow, my fellow cofounder. I don’t think my receding hair line is so extreme that it merits comparison with an Oscar statue …. But I’m proud to have been the first victim in a line of increasingly crude, but genuinely funny, jabs and ripostes between Drennen and his cohost, Jason Kofke.
This edition of Dodge & Burn includes nine photos by John Ramspott capturing scattered moments throughout the night.
Craig Drennen disarms with his impish smile. Photo by John E. Ramspott.
Photo by John E. Ramspott.
Photo by John E. Ramspott.
Photo by John E. Ramspott.
Photo by John E. Ramspott.
Photo by John E. Ramspott.
Photo by Sandy Hooper.
The last image above comes from the photo booth set up by Sandy Hooper, the main photographer for the Art Crush article series that inspired our auction. Click here for more at our Flickr site.
Special thanks go to Justin Weaver who created video interviews with our participating artists. The audio-visual dimension added dynamism and personality to each individual auction. Coupled with our hosts’ commentary, these segments stirred the crowd even further into a cackling frenzy.
It was wonderful to see so much generosity in one room. Bidding wars erupted over several items, between auction veterans and first-timers alike. Thank you so much to everyone who won, or at least attempted to win. Either way, your show of love has contributed towards funding our publication’s mission.
We’d also like to send our appreciation to 7 Stages Theatre, our devoted corps of volunteers, and everyone else who spent countless hours working before, during, and after the event. Our fantastic sponsors included Binders Art Supplies and Frames, Sutra Lounge, Braves, Bang! Arts Management, CORE Performance Company, Octane Coffee Bar & Lounge, Tough Love Yoga. FitWit, Dad’s Garage, Museum of Design Atlanta, Modern Atlanta, Parish Food & Goods, Alternative Apparel, Rosebud, Center for Puppetry Arts, Aviary Organic Beauty Collective, Starlight Six Drive-In Theater, Ansley Golf Course, Midtown Lanes, Get This! Gallery, Intown Healthy Hound, El Myr, Pozole, Concentrics Restaurants, and the High Museum of Art.
Please forgive me if I’ve left out any names. The event was a ginormous success because BURNAWAY is bigger than any one person. Thank you for supporting the movement for local art.
Photo by John E. Ramspott.
Dodge & Burn is a series of photo essays documenting local culture with a focus on artful imagery, movement, and light. Check BURNAWAY’s homepage for new photography every week, and watch our Flickr account for regular updates!
