The Community Artists’ Collective (The Collective) celebrated its 35th anniversary of serving the arts and cultural community with FestEve!35, an event at the Decorative Center of Houston, 5120 Woodway Dr., #3002, Houston 77056, Saturday, November 12.

The evening, which began at 6 p.m. with a VIP reception, featured works of art, performing artists, a silent and a live auction, a dinner and refreshments.

Honorary chairs were Letitia Plummer, David Mincberg and Lainie Gordon, Shawn Taylor and Gerald Womack.

Guests were treated to an amazing array of entertainment during the evening, capturing the spirit of traditional to contemporary genres of the cultural community, including Houston’s poet laureate Outspoken Bean, the Carver High School stilt walkers, solo instrumentalists and vocalists, dance troupes and jazz bands.

Renowned art collector Lester Marks and his wife Dr. Penelope Gonzalez will open their home Saturday, November 13, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., to guests for a view of his spectacular collection of contemporary art with a focus on his prized African American art.

“Celebrating the Art of Collecting” is a fund-raising event for the Community Artists’ Collective, a 34-year-old nonprofit organization which focuses its activities on arts education, entrepreneurship, community development and exhibitions. Its programs include increasing the accessibility of the arts in generally underserved communities while increasing the interest in and awareness of cultural programs in the greater Houston area.

The hybrid in-person art reception and virtual presentation will include a live streamed interview of noted artist Trenton Doyle Hancock, who looms large in the Marks' Collection, a private silent auction, an online auction, an art raffle, luscious lite bites and libations, interaction with many of the featured artists and valet parking.

Virtual-only guests can view the live-streamed Hancock interview, all virtual programs and awards and glimpses of the reception.

Marks has emerged as one of the outstanding members of the global arts community. He is recognized as one of the top 100 art collectors in the United States and among the “Top 100 Art Collectors Making a Difference in the Art World” by Arts & Antiques Magazine and one of the top 200 art collectors in the world by ARTnews Magazine.

Many of the local African American artists that he has supported since the beginning of their careers have gone on to achieve national and international acclaim. The list includes Hancock, Angelbert Metoyer, Nathaniel Donnett, Annette Lawrence, Bert Long, Jamal Cyrus, Mequitta Aruja, Robert Pruitt, Ann Johnson, Delita Martin and Julie Mehretu.

Cheryl and Percy Creuzot, owners of the local Frenchy’s Restaurant chain, are honorary chairs, and KTRK News Anchor Melanie Lawson will emcee.

Guests can register on Eventbrite and on The Collective’s website.

Tickets are $250, which includes one in-person reception ticket, one each raffle, private silent and online auction tickets. A $150 ticket purchases one in-person ticket and an online auction ticket. Virtual-only tickets for the event are available for $25. Raffle tickets are $50 each, and the sign-up fee for the online auction is $25.