Food, wine, art and live jazz music - and all for a good cause. The fourth annual At the Shore Wine Tasting Art Show will take place 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, at Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield.
The evening, which raises scholarship money for hospitality students in the region, will feature a tasting selection of white and red wines from Gallo Wines to complement hors d'oeuvres, the works of local artists and music performed by the Eddie Morgan Trio.
The event will provide a spotlight for 14 local artists who will display, discuss and sell their work. Several artists will be doing live demonstrations on site, including a jewelry maker from Turtle Bay Jewelry, who sells pieces in both Cape May and Florida boutiques.
"This year, we really have a great slate of artists," says Doreen Prinzo, marketing partnership manager for the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority. "The Eddie Morgan Trio is great. Every year, he reduces his rate so the money goes to scholarships. It's so nice to have jazz music playing. And then we have Gallo Wines, who come out and they bring eight of their very nice wines and showcase those wines."
The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority Foundation, At The Shore magazine and the Greater Atlantic City Concierge Association (GACCA) organize the event to fund scholarships for students majoring in the hospitality curriculum at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Atlantic Cape Community College and Fairleigh Dickenson University. To date, they have provided 15 scholarships.
"Every year we've given out anywhere from two to five scholarships," Prinzo says. "The students, they get so excited. They get to go to the Host Awards, where they're awarded the scholarship."
The scholarship recipients vary widely, Prinzo says, with both young students and adults starting a new career receiving awards. In 2012, $5,000 in scholarship money was awarded to four hospitality majors. This year, even more hospitality students will be eligible to apply, Prinzo says.
"This year we started a new niche in the scholarships for the nontraditional student," Prinzo says. "We found out that some of our concierge members are going to school … but can't carry a full-time load. So, the committee met and we talked about the students who couldn't apply because they didn't have the criteria. So we said, 'Lets create a new category.'"
The $25 ticket price includes the wine tastings, hors d'oeuvres compliments of Atlantic City Country Club, music by the Eddie Morgan Trio and the art show. For the first time this year, an etched wine glass commemorating this year's event will be given to all ticket holders.
In addition to the complimentary appetizers, the Tap Room Bar and Grille at the Atlantic City Country Club will offer a cash bar and cash dinner options.
The scholarship started in 2009 when the GAC Concierge Association president wanted to fulfill the organization's mission of helping to create a knowledgeable hospitality community. They reached out to the ACCVA Foundation and created the GACCA/ACCVAF Scholarship in conuunction with At The Shore.
Prize drawings during the evening will include two wearable items autographed by actress and artist Jane Seymour, a basket from Equity Communications with items from 95.1 WAYV-FM, 96.1 WTTH-FM, 99.3 KISS-FM and 100.7 WZXL-FM, a "Do AC" basket from the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, an overnight stay at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, a basket from the Press of Atlantic City, an advertising package for your business from Longport Media and wine baskets.
Event artists:
Kathleen Arleth, of Somers Point, showing landscapes and streetscapes in watercolor and pen and ink
Jon Baker, an Atlantic County artist working in contemporary art depicting shore life, landmarks.
Danielle Beaty, jewelry artist whose designs reflect love of sea.
Mike Bell, Jersey Shore artist whose paintings blend nostalgia, humor, vivid color and influences.
Cathleen Engelson, an Ocean County native working in watercolor, oils and acrylics and known for historical paintings of the coast
Linda Gazi, watercolorist from Somers Point, custom framer.
Jane Ann Hart, richly colored photographs of Jersey.
Cheryl Knowles-Harrigan, illustrator, printmaker and art teacher from Milmay.
Steve Kuzma, South Jersey resident whose Impressionist techniques have a strong sense of color and motion.
Ginny Mulford, of Petersburg, illustrated children's books, painted murals and pencil portraits.
Michael Waters, Atlantic City native who has traveled and worked throughout the world.
Linda Wexler, of South Jersey, for the past 20 years and has designed a set of giclee matted prints and note cards with a culinary arts theme specifically for this event.
Leonard Wilkinson, a native New Jerseyan who studied illustration, does custom framing and teaches art workshops.
A special guest artist exhibit will feature the work of Atlantic City Country Club Chef Edward K. Daggers of Galloway, a self-taught artist.
Gallo wines featured
White Wines: Polka Dot Riesling, (Pfalz, Germany); Martin Codax Albarino, (Rias Baixas, Spain); Dark Horse Chardonnay, (California). Red Wines: Mac Murray Pinot Noir, (Russian River Valley/Sonoma County, California; Martin Codax, ERGO, (Rioja, Spain); Red Rock Merlot, (California); Gascon Colosal, Malbec Blend, (Mendoza, Argentina); Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, (Sonoma Valley, California)
