Art of Dining

Hundreds of art aficionados paid $1,000 each to salute renowned pop artist Robert Rauschenberg at the Orange County Museum of Art’s 14th annual Art of Dining last Sunday in Newport Beach. Sadly, a fall and subsequent hip surgery kept the 76-year-old icon of contemporary art from attending the black-tie gala at the Palm Garden of the Four Seasons Hotel.

On hand to accept the museum’s Achievement Award on behalf of the artist--who had created a series of limited-edition fine art prints to be sold at the event--was longtime friend Sidney Felsen, a founder of Gemini G.E.L. printmaking studio in Los Angeles.

“Besides being a humanitarian, Rauschenberg just makes art better than anyone else,” Felsen said. Proceeds of more than $500,000 from the event, co-chaired by Marsha Anderson and Pam Muzzy, will benefit museum education programs.