Red Cross Fund-Raising Event to Include Auction of Artworks

Picasso can’t make it, but Rockwell and Dali will be there, as will Chagall and Yamagata.

Those are just a few of the big names in the art world whose works will be among the 225 shown by Classic Art Auction as part of the Ventura County American Red Cross’ annual Cucina Novella fund-raising dinner Aug. 12 in Ventura.

The Red Cross hopes to take in $10,000 from the dinner and art auction, said Lenore Gabel, the chapter’s fund-raising director. The money would go toward such traditional Red Cross activities as disaster relief, first-aid training and educational presentations, she said.

Cucina Novella, in its third year, has been a night of gourmet food and wines. But in an effort to attract more people and raise more money, the Red Cross this year expanded the event to include the auction, Gabel said.

“The first two years we had a big emphasis on food and wine, and this year we are going to put an equal emphasis on the art because it is a new aspect to the event, and hopefully it will give it more drawing power,” she said.

Marshall Richlin of Valencia-based Classic Art Auction said the firm had originally planned to offer a work by Pablo Picasso at the Ventura auction, only to have someone buy it first.

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel in Ventura. Tickets are $75 per person and include a wine reception, dinner and admittance to the auction. For information about Cucina Novella, call the Red Cross at (805) 643-9928 or (805) 656-5560.