If you had told me a month ago that I’d be walking down Montauk Highway in a pair of stilettos in the name of art and journalism, I wouldn’t have believed you. In fact, I’d probably chuckle a little bit and question your sanity.
And yet, that was indeed my reality on a recent Saturday as I strutted down the busy East End artery in a flowing pink dress on my way to the Parrish Art Museum’s Midsummer Party in Water Mill.
Before I get too far ahead of myself, here’s some context: Before my freshman year at Williams College, I knew absolutely nothing about art or the art world. I couldn’t tell you the difference between Cezanne and Seurat, and Jasper Johns just sounded like a tongue twister. But after a year of Art History 101 and exploring the cultural mecca that is the Berkshires of northwestern Massachusetts, I became greatly intrigued by a world I knew little about.
Today, my knowledge is still rather limited, but I definitely have a greater grasp on things than I did a year ago. This summer I’ve had the pleasure of working with Pat Rogers and the rest of the Hamptons Art Hub gang as a social media intern, assigned to the care and feeding of our presence on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.
Anyway, back to my adventures in Water Mill. My friend Sarah Ritzmann (a fellow Williams student, close friend, and an intern this summer at the Parrish Art Museum) headed down to the After Ten party. As overexcited teens from the North Fork, we were ecstatic to see what a Hamptons party was like and stimulated by the thrilling possibility of rubbing shoulders with Art World celebrities.
Before many guests arrived, I was able to look at art, including this thought-provoking Jennifer Bartlett piece:
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"The Exact Spot (2004)" by Jennifer Bartlett. On display at the Parrish Art Museum. Photo by Laura Lee.
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After the dinner ended and the After Ten Party started heating up, I was able to view the beautiful table settings
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The table settings at the Parrish Midsummer Gala. Photo by Laura Lee.
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And the snack table. Look at these adorable little cheesecake bites!
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The snack table at the Parrish Midsummer Gala. Photo by Laura Lee.
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All in all, it was a great evening and I had a fantastic time. My first large scale art event was great fun to attend, but being able to capture, record little tidbits of the night and share these moments was easily the most enjoyable part of the evening. Working with Hamptons Art Hub has been a blast and I look forward to continuing to contribute to its growing media presence.
To catch additional coverage of the Parrish Art Museum’s Midsummer Party, click on this link.
Also be sure to follow Hamptons Art Hub on Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter @hamptonsarthub.
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Laura Lee is the Social Media Summer Intern for Hamptons Art Hub.com. She attends Williams College and is studying Art History and English.
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BASIC FACTS: The Parrish Art Museum is located at 279 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, NY 11976. www.parrishart.org. The Midsummer Party is the museum's annual main fundraiser.
RELATED: "ART SEEN: Parrish Midsummer Party Raises $1.25 Million"