We invite you to join us for an unforgettable night at the annual Art Omi Upstate Benefit on Saturday, September 26 from 5:30–10 PM as we honor philanthropist, art collector, curator, and photographer Jack Shear. Jack, who lives and works in Spencertown, NY, and is the husband of the late artist Ellsworth Kelly, continues to carry his legacy forward with remarkable dedication as President of the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation and Executive Director of the Ellsworth Kelly Studio.

This year's benefit unfolds at Pocketbook Hudson Hotel and Baths, the recently opened hotel, restaurant, and cultural complex in a historic 1885 textile factory, and our newest partner in bringing art and community together across the Hudson Valley.

The festivities kick off at 5:30 PM with a cocktail party serving libations, hors d'oeuvres, and live music from the enchanting FlamenKora. Led by trumpeter, composer, and Art Omi: Music Alum Volker Goetze, alongside kora master Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko, and flamenco guitarist Roberto Monteiro, the group draws on decades of study in West African music, jazz, and flamenco to create something truly singular.

An Argentine feast prepared by Ambos Executive Chef Norberto Piattoni follows at 7 PM, capped off by a spirited live auction and paddle raise hosted by the inimitable Jacqueline Towers-Perkins. We’re thrilled to welcome back Jacqueline, whose clients span royalty, entertainment, and business, to offer one-of-a-kind experiences for guests to bid on. The night winds down in the only way it should: with sumptuous dessert.

There's a lot to celebrate. Art Omi is home to five international residency programs for architects, artists, dancers, musicians, and writers, welcoming creative minds from around the world to live and work right here in Columbia County. Our 120-acre Sculpture & Architecture Park is home to more than 60 artworks on view at any time, alongside rotating exhibitions in the Newmark Gallery—all free and open for everyone. Our arts education programs, from summer camps to public school partnerships to weekend workshops, bring hands-on art experiences to kids and families across the region, no matter what they can afford.

All of this is possible because of nights like this one. The Art Omi Upstate Benefit is one of our favorite evenings of the year, a chance to gather the community that makes this work possible and celebrate everything we've created together.

Your support at any level makes this evening, and Art Omi itself, possible.
We can't wait to celebrate with you!

Jack Shear, Our 2026 Honoree

As a philanthropist, Jack Shear has generously supported local organizations throughout Columbia County that improve the lives of residents and provide opportunities for civic engagement, while also displaying tremendous support for the arts across the globe. In 2022, Jack initiated an innovative collaboration among three college art museums with the donation of his collection of 75 Tibetan Thangka paintings and objects to Skidmore College, Vassar College, and Williams College. He currently serves on both the executive committee of the MoMA’s International Council and the board of the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies. 

With a lifelong passion for collecting art, Jack has built a collection of over 2,000 works on paper ranging from Old Masters to contemporary artists. In 2020 he was honored by The Drawing Center for his achievements as a collector, and he serves on the Drawings and Prints Committee at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.  

As a photographer, Jack has published a number of books including his most recent, Knot, in which his photographs are paired with poems and prose from the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Forrest Gander. Jack’s work is represented in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Albany Institute of History and Art. 

As the husband of Ellsworth Kelly, Jack continues to honor his legacy with extraordinary dedication as President of the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation and Executive Director of the Ellsworth Kelly Studio. In 2023, to celebrate the centennial of Ellsworth’s birth, Jack donated 207 artworks by Ellsworth Kelly to 22 American museums and oversaw a globe-spanning network of exhibitions and publications highlighting Ellsworth’s landmark achievements, including substantial presentations at the Museum of Modern Art, Glenstone Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

FlamenKora

By sensitively and skillfully interweaving improvised trumpet and flamenco guitar with traditional mandinka kora and vocals from Senegal, FlamenKora creates timeless and enchanting multicultural music; a welcome balm in these troubled times.

Volker Goetze’s evocative trumpet lines dance gracefully with the soulful vocals and kora of his newest duo partner, the esteemed master of traditional Mande music– Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko. Up-and-coming Rio de Janeiro and Madrid based flamenco guitar maestro Roberto Monteiro is the newest band member, adding authentic Spanish flair with driving rhythms and subtle, imaginative colors. As the group’s founder and producer, Goetze brings a special wisdom to FlamenKora, acquired not only through decades of devotion to West African Mande music, but also through a deep mastery of jazz composition and arrangement, and a recent deep dive into the melodic and rhythmic traditions of flamenco and maqam.

“FlamenKora exudes a remarkable sense of cultural diversity... showcasing an uncanny ability to listen and respond to one another, resulting in an exquisite musical beauty.” –JAZZIZ (US)

Jacqueline Towers-Perkins

Jacqueline Towers-Perkins is an international Auctioneer and CEO and Founder of Towers & Co, an auctioneer agency and fundraising consultancy delivering white glove service for galas and benefit events globally. Her clients include international royalty from His Majesty King Charles to Jay-Z and Beyoncé, and she has shared the stage with leaders of finance, entertainment, tech, and politics. Over the years she has auctioneered to thousands of bidders and raised millions for charity. Alongside her independent auctioneer business, she previously held senior positions at top global auction houses including Sotheby’s New York, where she was a lead Auctioneer and Vice President.

Pocketbook Hudson Hotel & Baths

Nestled in a historic textile factory built in 1885, Pocketbook Hudson Hotel & Baths, the preferred hotel partner of Art Omi, blends history, design, art, and cuisine to create an experiential hotel that serves as a cultural hub for Upstate NY, offering a communal bathhouse; Ambos—an open-fire restaurant; café and bar; Ether—a subterranean nightclub; galleries; and a street-level market.

Ambos

Ambos, Pocketbook Hudson's evening restaurant, means “yes to both.” It is brought to life by Chef Norberto Piattoni, inspired by his Argentine heritage and his prolific fermentation practices and cooking methods. Here you will find local meat, seafood, fresh pasta, and produce—transformed by live-fire cooking and other bespoke culinary processes and interpretations.

Questions?

For more information please email Lux Krueger, Associate Director of Development, at Lkrueger@artomi.org

Date

Saturday, September 26, 2026 | 5:30–10 PM

Location

Pocketbook Hudson | 549 Washington Street, Hudson, NY 12534

2026 Sponsors

Benefactor

• Anonymous
• Gavin Berger & Craig Berggren
• Paul Cassidy & Vernon D. Evenson
• Ellsworth Kelly Foundation
• Francis J. Greenburger & Isabelle Autones
• Corina Larkin & Nigel Dawn
• Mark S. Portin, Esq.
• Matthew Marks Gallery

Sustainer

• On behalf of Aven A. Kerr Trust
• Heather & Rishi Bhandari

Leader

• Anonymous
• Jeanne Hardy & Antonio Orrantia
• Sarah & Marcus Oliver
• Jane Sadowsky
• STAIR
• Jane Trombley

Patron

• Caroline Angoorly
• BKSK Architecture
• Michelle & Scott Brindley
• Louis C. Ciliberti
• Dan Devine & Lawre Stone
• Robert Flynt, In honor of Jack Shear
• Matthew Hall & Robin Rosenthal
• Sarah Lutz & John van Rens
• Victoria & Stephen Montifiore
• Cherrie Nanninga
• Joanne & Robert Ollman
• SKOLNICK Architecture

Supporter

• Alex Lee Agency
• Alice Aycock
• Anne-Marie Francis
• Richard Hayden
• Noelle Lamuniere
• Gabriella Sperry
• David Szlas

Friend

• Amy Adler
• Larry Bentley
• Amanda Boyd
• Darrow School
• Peter Frank & Jonathan Lerner
• Ashley Garrett & Brian Woods
• Herrington's
• Matthew Kalishman
• Charlotta Kotik
• LeChase Construction
• Judith G. Levy & Pamela Fine
• Carsten Otto & DeWayne A. Powell
• Park Row Gallery
• Rouse + Co Real Estate
• Macarena Tracey
• Rebecca Trafton
• Bill & Denise Wallace
• Marilyn & Mark Webber

Donation

• Christene Barberich
• Jeffrey Zeiler

Support

Major support for Art Omi is provided in part by the Francis J. Greenburger Family Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, Time Equities Inc., and the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

In-kind support provided by Pocketbook Hudson, Preferred Hotel Partner of Art Omi.