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Live Auction Preview

Please join us for the 2016 Desert Gala Live Auction! Taking place in the Warden Oasis Theater from 5:30pm to 7:15pm with Auctioneer extraordinaire Christine Sullivan assisted by John Hughes, it’s your chance to bid on spectacular botanicals; one-of-a-kind art work and jewelry; fabulous trips and unique Desert Museum experiences. If you cannot attend the Live Auction, we are happy to arrange bids by phone. For details, please contact Cree Zischke, 520-883-3039, czischke@desertmuseum.org.

George L. Mountainlion Bolo Tie • Grow Your Own Greenhouse • Talavera Platter • A Week's Stay in Lake Tahoe • Mexican Grey Wolf Scratchboard • Ladder Ranch New Mexico Adventure • Gray Fox Jewelry Box • Tuscany Villa and Wine Experience • Private Party of Choice at the Desert Museum • Casalote Landscaping Tree • George L. Mountainlion Weaving • Stone Cactus Waterfall • Cerberus Boojum!?

George L. Mountainlion Bolo Tie

A beautiful silver bolo tie featuring the original Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum George L. Mountainlion logo. Handcrafted by docent Abe Lackow exclusively for the Museum. This eye-catching but elegant accessory is great way to show your support for the Museum, and is appropriately sized for a man, woman, or child.

Fully donated by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Value: $1,000.

Grow Your Own Greenhouse

Tired of long lines, judgmental looks, and high prices at the local nursery? Well, then grow your own in this one-of-a-kind greenhouse on wheels. Greenhouses are not generally thought of as having aesthetic appeal, but this one with its turn of the century, industrial charm, will be sure to turn heads. It comes complete with both native and non-native starter cacti, succulents, and flowering shrubs set in custom-made mahogany trays.

Delivery included.

Fully donated by an Anonymous donor and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Value $1,500.

Talavera Platter

Arte Ventosa follows a 400 year old process of making pottery that is known as maiolica (Talavera). Maiolica integrates the aspects and influences of Italian, Spanish, Moroccan, Chinese, and Mexican cultures and brings a beauty to everyday life. This platter presented tonight is completely handmade and took from three to six months to complete.

Arte Ventosa follows the same vision that Enrique Luis Ventosa Fina of Puebla established in 1917. Ventosa, who came to Puebla from Barcelona, Spain in 1898, commenced to elevate the modern standard of the clay art by reviving many of the old designs. Ventosa substantially changed the direction of the Puebla maiolica industry by the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century and gave a new and glorious life to the Talavera ceramics of Puebla.

Following the traditional process, Arte Ventosa carries on the history of the Puebla ceramics, following the same guidelines set forth by the masters of old. This platter was crafted using a black and a white clay obtained from deposits in the Puebla region; hand thrown/hand formed using pigments and glaze made using traditional formulas and natural colors.

Maiolica Poblana or Talavera continues to be associated with the finest glazed ceramics of Mexico. This platter is a beautiful example of one of the most important ceramic traditions of the Western hemisphere.

Fully donated by Dr. Isabelle Collins. Value: $TK.

A Week's Stay in Lake Tahoe — A Gala favorite!

Your dream of spending time in the snow covered mountains skiing some of the best slopes can come true with this stay for six days and seven nights in a luxury vacation home in Incline Village at Lake Tahoe. This well-appointed home features 3 bedrooms, 3½ baths and sleeps 6 adults very comfortably. Lake Tahoe is a pristine jewel of nature. Surrounded on all sides by the Sierra Nevada mountain range, you can see on average 72 feet down into its cobalt waters.

Incline Village, located on the eastern North Shore, is home to some of the world's most stunning mountain retreats and features some of Lake Tahoe's most magnificent views and a genteel approach to life. Experience amazing skiing in Squaw Valley and Heavenly ski areas, spend an evening at the casinos, and enjoy world class dining.

Dates must be reserved at least 1 month in advance. Available October 15, 2016 through May 15, 2017.

Fully donated by Patricia Engels and Richard Medland. Value: $3,000.

Mexican Grey Wolf Scratchboard

The Mexican Wolf (Canis Lupus spp. baileyi) did once inhabit the mountainous areas, woodlands, and riparian habitats of the Sonoran Desert region. Eradication by humans drove the last wolf to extinction in Arizona in the early 1970s and the species had totally disappeared in Mexico by the mid-1980s. In 1998 the US Fish and Wildlife Service launched a re-introduction program in eastern Arizona for the Mexican wolf that continues today. The Desert Museum has been an active participant in this effort.

Tonight the Museum features an original scratchboard with ink portrait of a Mexican Grey Wolf by Priscilla Baldwin, the founder of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s Art Institute. This portrait captures the beauty and majesty of the Mexican wolf and we hope it will serve as a reminder of the value of these canids and their essential role in a healthy ecosystem.

Fully donated by the artist, Priscilla Baldwin. Value: $2,500.

Ladder Ranch New Mexico Adventure

Named by Outside Magazine as one of the best ‘Best Trips of 2016’

Owned by media mogul and philanthropist Ted Turner, the Ladder Ranch sits on nearly 160,000 acres (or 245 square miles) of exquisite private land on the edge of the Gila Mountains and the Chiricahua Desert. A premier destination offering available under Turner’s most recent hospitality venture Ted Turner Expeditions, Ladder Ranch guests can spend days mountain-biking, spotting abundant and diverse wildlife, such as bison, desert bighorn sheep, antelope and oryx, and visiting ancient petroglyphs, all while staying in the comforts of Ted Turner’s personal ranch house.

The Ladder Ranch is a breathtaking mix of ecosystems, ranging from desert grasslands to pine forests, in the foothills of the Black Range (Gila Mountains). The Animas, Seco, Palomas, and Cuchillo Streams bisect the ranch, and provide a rich habitat for many amphibians, fish and wildlife. The Ladder Ranch is uniquely rich in history, home to numerous remnants of the ancient Mimbres culture, and even its own ghost town, Hermosa. A sampling of the tours available to Ladder Ranch guests includes the Native American Rock Art Tour, the Ladder Ranch Birding Tour, or give it your all on the Crest to Creek Mountain Bike Ride.

This adventure is offered to four guests for a 2-night, 3-day stay at Mr. Turner’s Ladder Ranch, located in Sierra County, NM (approximately a 30-minute drive from Truth or Consequences, NM). This auction item is ideal for those looking for a once-in-a lifetime experience: the chance to stay in Ted Turner’s home on his spectacular working bison ranch, larger in size than Zion National Park.

The ultimate in personalized, all-inclusive vacation experiences, your stay at the Ladder Ranch includes a private house manager, private chef with all meals prepared, and customized tour itineraries with private guides to explore 160,000 acres on Ladder Ranch and 360,000 acres on Ted’s nearby Armendaris Ranch! Ted’s Ladder house, designed by his former wife, Jane Fonda, is the perfect base from which to see all that these “private national parks” have to offer.

Ted's House at Ladder Ranch

Ted’s house at Ladder exudes “authentic” Southwest charm, complete with Turner’s personal touches, representative of his countless experiences and adventures. Upon entering this five-bedroom, three-bathroom ranch house, you’re instantly taken by its luxuriously comfortable and unassuming ambience, characteristic of its longtime, devoted owner.

The main floor features three bedrooms. The master bedroom, or “Ted’s Room”, is complete with a four-poster king bed and beautiful en suite bathroom with Ted’s personal study adjacently located. Additionally, the first floor features the spacious living room with a four-tiered stacked stone, wood-burning fireplace and comfortable seating, making it a superb space for absolute relaxation and memorable conversation. The remainder of the first floor is comprised of two queen bedrooms, a 1950’s retrofitted kitchen, and an additional bathroom. An exterior staircase leads to the home’s second floor, with another queen bedroom and a separate room with three twin beds.

Access to Ted's Armendaris Ranch

While staying at the Ladder Ranch, guests enjoy superior access to Ted’s nearby Armendaris Ranch: a vast, 362,885-acre ranch situated along the Rio Grande, consisting of a stunning mix of Chihuahuan and semi-desert grasslands. The dramatic Fra Cristobal Mountain range, located exclusively on the Armendaris, boasts sensational summit views, and is home to a successfully reintroduced, and subsequently delisted, desert bighorn sheep population. In addition to desert bighorn sheep, an extraordinary array of big game species is present on the Armendaris, including bison, pronghorn antelope, desert mule deer, mountain lion, javelina and oryx.

The historic Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a 1,000-mile trail from Mexico City to Santa Fe, traverses the ranch over a 42-mile distance. The Armendaris Ranch hosts an outstanding selection of day tours for Ladder Ranch guests, providing excellent adventure and spectacular scenery.

Sampling of tours include the 7TX Bubbling Spring Mountain Bike Tour, the Fra Cristobal Summit Trek & Geocache and the Paleontology Prospecting Tour.

The package details include:

1. Two (2) nights for four (4) people staying in Ted’s personal home on the Ladder Ranch;
2. All meals;
3. All tours and private guides on either or both the Ladder and Armendaris Ranches;
4. All transportation while on and/or to and from the Ladder and Armendaris Ranches, and Ted’s Sierra Grande Lodge & Spa;
5. Two (2) signed copies of Last Stand, Ted Turner’s Quest to Save a Troubled Planet;
6. This visit must occur between May 1, 2016 and April 30, 2017. The trip must be booked at least one month in advance. Airfare, rental car and gratuities are not included in the auction price;
7. The package is granted to the charity based on availability, and package cannot be resold and is non-transferable.

*Airport transfers can be arranged for an additional fee
*Private helicopter for use during stay can be arranged for an additional fee

Fully underwritten by the Bert W. Martin Foundation. Value: $12,000.

Gray Fox Jewelry Box

This beautiful birch jewelry box features an original scratchboard image of the Desert Museum’s charismatic gray fox (Urocyon cineroeargenteus). The gray fox is the quieter relation to the coyote, going about its nocturnal hunting without attracting as much attention. It is the only canid that regularly climbs trees. It hunts in and forages in trees, and can sometimes be seen sleeping up in cottonwoods or mesquites (safe from coyotes and other predators). As gray foxes and coyotes compete for similar prey, gray foxes prefer the rockier canyons, like Gates Pass, where coyotes find it more difficult to hunt

This jewelry box was crafted to order with a hand-rubbed finish and lined with felt to protect your treasures. It is designed to be enjoyed flat on a vanity or table or hung on a wall. It features handles and a magnetic latch to facilitate opening and closing.

Fully donated by the artist, Priscilla Baldwin. Value: Priceless!

Tuscany Villa and Wine Experience

Four people traveling together will enjoy a three night stay in a winery’s guest villa located in the breathtaking countryside of Tuscany. This Tuscany experience allows you to customize your vacation in the Italian countryside right down to choosing your villa! Choose what activities most interests you and it will be arranged — private wine tours, olive adventures and/or cooking experiences along with chef hosted lunches and dinners.

During your stay, you will receive VIP treatment, including one-of-a-kind vineyard and winery tours, private wine tastings and an insider’s look at winemaking in Italy’s most famous wine region. When not on the vineyard, enjoy scenic drives to the heart of Tuscany, the city of Florence, as well as other historic cities such as Siena, San Giminano, and Pisa — all only a short distance from these guest villas.

Airfare and transportation not included. Lodging is available Monday-Friday, September through June (excluding the Christmas and Easter holidays).

Buon viaggio!

Fully donated by Total Wine & More. Value: $5,000.

Private Party of Choice at the Desert Museum

Celebrate your next birthday, anniversary, graduation, retirement, or other milestone and introduce your loved ones and colleagues to the magic of a Desert Museum-inspired party of your choice.

Party options to choose from include 1) an adult margarita party with hors d'oeuvres featuring indigenous ingredients; or 2) a catered party in your home by one of the Desert Museum’s culinary experts. Your party will also include a visit from animal guests from the Museum's interpretive animal collection such as a Harris's hawk, barn owl, ringtail, porcupine, chuckwalla lizard, or even a tarantula!

This will be an event that you and your guests never forget!

Maximum 16 people. Must be scheduled at least 1 month in advance at a mutually agreeable date and time pending availability.

Fully donated by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Value: Priceless!

36" Boxed Landscaping Tree - Cascalote (Caesalpinia cacalaco)

Native to tropical Mexico, Cascalote (cas-cah-LOH-tay) is a large woody shrub that may be trained into a small to medium-size patio tree. It may ultimately reach 15' or more in height and width. It is covered with glossy green leaves, but in Tucson it may be winter deciduous. Cascalote produces large spikes of clear yellow flowers at the branch tips from late fall through the winter months, followed by attractive copper-colored seedpods. Yellow flower spikes cover the entire tree, much to the delight of homeowners and pollinators alike. It grows best in full sun and well-drained soils. The thick, rose-like thorns are attractive (at a distance), but as a patio tree can be an issue. It will thrive throughout hot summers, and though it will handle light frosts, this species may suffer frost damage when temperatures drop into the low 20’s. Cascalote trees are becoming increasingly popular throughout the southwest. Native to Mexico. Use as an accent, specimen, for its flower and seed pod color, or as a screen or barrier.

Delivered and planted within the Tucson Metropolitan area. Must have access for the large box and machinery.

Fully donated by AAA Landscaping. Value: $1,500.

George L. Mountainlion Weaving

A rare weaving from the village of Teotitlan de la Valle commissioned by the Museum’s gift shop and made of wool with all natural dyes and featuring the image of George L.Mountainlion. Made of wool, all hand woven. Beige,black, and brown, 26x26 inches square.

Fully donated by Jim Hills and Native & Nature. Value: Priceless!

Stone Cactus Waterfall

This wonderful, custom sculptural water fountain is purely Southwest in style and beauty. Add the sound of a trickling stream to your yard or patio with the hand-made Mexican Fencepost cactus, fashioned from glass fiber reinforced concrete. Fountain stands approximately 42" tall and includes a remote control for easy on-off operation. Doesn't this give real meaning to "Water in the Desert"?!

A nominal delivery fee has been included in the value.

Fully donated by Stone Cactus Fountain. Value: $700.

Cerberus Boojum!?

A multi-headed hound guarding the gates of Hades? We think not! Age and multi-trunk form makes this specimen plant coveted by succulent collectors. This 25 year old plant is definitely one-of-a-kind to be found nowhere else. This boojum (Fouquieria columnaris) is attractively displayed in a contemporary ‘willow green’ concrete pot by Phoenix manufacturer Kornegay Design. This would be a trophy plant for any succulent enthusiast, and an excellent statement piece for the yard.

Fully winter hardy in Tucson. Grow in full sun to very light shade.

Delivery included in Tucson metropolitan area. Access for large, very heavy pot; 44” width is necessary.

Fully donated by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Value: $2,000.

Gala Overview • Reservations • Sponsor Tables • Menu