Danese Gallery To Host Wine Tasting To Benefit Clarke Schools For Hearing And Speech/new York City

Jan. 18, 2011 - PRLog -- Danese Gallery (535 West 24th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues) will host a special wine tasting at 6:00PM on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 to benefit Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech, an educational organization that teaches children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen and talk.  The evening will feature a wine tasting tutorial led by Riedel Crystal of America and Shaw Vineyards amid a display of recent paintings by internationally recognized artist, Larry Poons.

The benefit has special significance for gallery owner Renato Danese and his wife Christina; Christina’s son Jack was diagnosed as profoundly deaf shortly after his first birthday. “It came as a shock  --there was no history of hearing loss in our family.”  Christina learned that Jack was a good candidate for a cochlear implant, a surgically implanted device that increases a deaf individual’s access to sound and spoken language. “Jack’s father and I wanted to do the best thing for him and give him every opportunity in life.” After Jack received the implant, Christina knew he would need special assistance in learning to develop language and listening skills. “When we found Clarke, we were sure it was the right place for him. The teachers and staff truly understand the unique challenges faced by children with hearing loss,” says Christina. Students in Clarke’s educational programs use assistive technologies, including cochlear implants and hearing aids, and receive specialized services from teachers of the deaf and speech and language pathologists.  

After just a short time at Clarke, Jack’s language skills expanded dramatically. “He went from single-word utterances to glorious sentences.” says mom Christina. Jack is now a thriving 13-year-old. “He loves school, reading, playing anything electronic. Along with his heightened verbal skills has come increased confidence and stronger friendships. He doesn’t let anything keep him back,” says Christina.

Renato credits the educational foundation and support his stepson received at Clarke with his continued success. “I’m pleased to be able to host this benefit to support an organization so dear to us. We can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for our family,” says Renato.

Where: Danese Gallery, 535 West 24th Street, 6th Floor (between 10th and 11th Avenues), New York, NY
When: February 16, 2011, 6:00 until 8:00PM
Tickets: Tickets are $150 per person. Price includes a set of four Riedel tasting glasses (one each of Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Montrachet; a $100-plus value), wine and light appetizers.
More information: clarkeschools.org/winetasting

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Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech provides children who are deaf and hard of hearing with the listening, learning and spoken language skills they need to succeed. Annually, more than 800 children and their families benefit from programs and services at our five campus locations: Boston, Jacksonville, New York City, Northampton and Philadelphia. www.clarkeschools.org

ABOUT DANESE GALLERY
Danese opened in New York in 1997 with concurrent exhibitions – Dan Flavin’s iconic sculptures ‘Monuments’ to V. Tatlin, and rare drawings by Kazimir Malevich. Since then, the gallery has built a successful international reputation with a focus on the representation of over 25 contemporary artists and estates. One of the gallery’s important secondary activities is a program of exhibitions, which have included rare works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, Yves Tanguy, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, Brice Marden, and Chuck Close.