Social Seens... Photography by Gram
Sterling Society Founders Luncheon
The Dunedin Fine Art Center’s Sterling Society held its 14th annual Founders Luncheon at the Dunedin Golf Club to present its
annual Patron of the Arts Award. This year’s award went to Sara Kessinger in recognition of her many services to the community
as well as to the art center over the years. The program featured a point and counterpoint discussion on surrealism and western art
led by Laura Hine, executive director and CEO of the James Museum of Western & Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg, and her husband
Hank Hine, executive director and CEO of the Salvador Dalí Museum, also in St. Petersburg.
144 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2021
Sara Kessinger, president of the Sterling
Society, was congratulated by her husband
John on being selected as this year’s Patron
of the Arts at the group’s annual Founders
Luncheon.
George Ann Bissett, president and CEO of
the Dunedin Fine Art Center, thanked Steve
Beaty for serving as the master of ceremonies
for the luncheon and entertaining the virtual
attendees who watched from home.
Todd Still, director of the youth education
programs at the Dunedin Fine Art Center,
thanked Sallie Parks, a member of the
Sterling Society board, for chairing this
year’s Founders Luncheon.
Artist Mary Louise Pollock was thanked by
former Dunedin City Commissioner Julie
Scales for her painting that was presented to
Sara Kessinger as part of the Patron of the
Arts Award. Pollock has done the same for
the award’s previous recipients.
Hank Hine, executive director and
CEO of the Salvador Dalí Museum, and his
wife Laura Hine, executive director and
CEO of the James Museum of Western &
Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg, were the
featured speakers at the luncheon.
Brad and Mary Ann Morse, whose family
donated Salvador Dalí works of art that
are featured in the Dalí Museum in
St. Petersburg, enjoyed the discussion on
surrealism given by Hank Hine,
the museum’s CEO.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This event was COVID-19 safety compliant. Participants maintained social distancing and wore masks
except for eating, drinking or when being photographed.