By Town Crier Staff Report
 Courtesy of Hidden Villa Elizabeth Murray |
Elizabeth Murray’s paintings convey her passion for nature, beauty and what she calls “healing vibrations of the land.” What better artist to be represented in an exhibit during the night of Hidden Villa’s Josephine and Frank Duveneck Humanitarian Awards gala? The event is scheduled Saturday at the Los Altos Hills nature preserve.
Murray, also a successful photographer and author of five books on gardening, worked in famed French Impressionist painter Claude Monet’s garden for 17 years as a photographer, gardener and painter. She will displaying approximately 20 oil paintings and handpainted photographs at the Duveneck House.
Her photography work is permanently housed in several museums, including the de Young Museum of San Francisco. The Monterey resident also is a tireless lecturer who has toured the country on speaking engagements for the past 15 years.
Her love of the Central Coast environment spurred a renewed interest in her “first love,” painting. She participated in the Plein Air Event sponsored by the Big Sur Land Trust in 2001-2002.
Her goal is to “capture the beauty and vibration of the land, which will carry through (the) canvas to the viewer for inspiration and healing.”
Murray’s exhibit will be among several highlights during Hidden Villa’s biggest fund-raising event, scheduled 5:30-9 p.m. The gala provides Hidden Villa officials the opportunity to recognize local humanitarians as well as raise funds for its innovative environmental and multicultural education programs.
This year’s event honors outgoing state Sen. Byron Sher for his longtime allegiance to environmental causes. During his long political career, the former Palo Alto City Councilman has authored several landmark state laws, including the California Clean Air Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Locals honored this year include Los Altos Hills residents Steven and Michele Kirsch and Keith Gutierrez, head of programs at Redwood Grove preserve in Los Altos.
The Kirsches have contributed to a variety of environmental causes, including the establishment of the Kirsch Environmental Center at De Anza College and a push for legislation promoting use of electric vehicles.
Gutierrez, who began his work at Hidden Villa as a summer camp counselor, is the leader behind myriad programs acquainting youth with nature at Redwood Grove.
The awards are presented in memory of Josephine and Frank Duveneck, Hidden Villa’s founders, who championed the causes of human diversity and respect for the environment. Over the past eight years, the dinner has raised nearly $1 million to support Hidden Villa programs, including scholarships for low-income youth to allow participation in summer camps.
The dinner will include organic wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres. Anchorwoman Emerald Yeh of KRON-TV will emcee the event. Tickets, at $175 each, are still available. For more information, call 949-9702 or logon to www.hiddenvilla.org.
