Dec, 10, 2019
Special Events and Programs
Phoenix Art Museum to honor local philanthropist and welcome Martyn Lawrence Bullard as speaker at 10th-annual Independent Woman Luncheon
Multi-award winning interior designer with A-List clientele, including Kardashians and Cher, to headline milestone event
PHOENIX (December 10, 2019) – Phoenix Art Museum will present renowned interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard as the keynote speaker for the 10th-annual Independent Woman Luncheon (IWL) on March 2, 2020. One of the Valley’s most beloved philanthropic events, the annual Luncheon celebrates members of the Valley’s premier design community, who come together each year to support the Museum’s exhibitions and education programs and create signature, one-of-a-kind centerpieces for the occasion. Now in its 10th year, the Luncheon continues the tradition of presenting a high-profile designer by welcoming Bullard, who will speak about his work and sign copies of his book Design & Decoration following the event. This year’s IWL will also honor longtime Museum supporter Ellen Katz, who created the first IWL in 2011, as well as other former IWL chairs. The event on March 2 will begin at 11 am in the Museum’s Cummings Great Hall.
“Phoenix Art Museum is grateful for the support of our community demonstrated by the Independent Woman Luncheon, which has provided significant support for the Museum’s exhibitions and education programs,” said Mark Koenig, Interim Sybil Harrington Director and Chief Financial Officer of Phoenix Art Museum. “Through their hard work and dedication, interior designers from across the Valley and the volunteer leaders who have thoughtfully executed each Luncheon have done much more than plan an annual event. They have made a deep impact on the arts in our city for all people.”
As the keynote speaker for the 10th-annual Independent Woman Luncheon, Martyn Lawrence Bullard joins the ranks of former IWL speakers, including renowned designers Charlotte Moss, Amy Lau, and Sarah Richardson. Consistently named one of the world’s top 100 interior designers by Architectural Digest, Bullard is known for his broad range of styles and eclectic, yet sophisticated and inviting, interiors. His work has appeared in more than 4,000 publications worldwide, including Architectural Digest, ELLE Decor, House & Garden, W, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Times, and Los Angeles Times, among many others. Based in Los Angeles, he has designed for celebrity clientele such as Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Tommy Hilfiger, Cher, and Eva Mendes, to name a few. Bullard’s most recent book, Design & Decoration, provides readers with insight into his exquisite interiors, and inspiration for the Luncheon’s décor will be drawn from his work.
“To celebrate the incredible legacy of the Independent Woman Luncheon, we are thrilled to present Martyn Lawrence Bullard at the 10th-annual event,” said Libby Cohen, co-chair of the 2020 IWL planning committee. “With his international reputation and his dynamic aesthetic and creative vision, Bullard was an ideal choice to provide this year’s keynote address.”
The milestone event will also honor local philanthropist Ellen Katz. Inspired by the 2011 exhibition Fashion Independent: The Original Style of Ann Bonfoey Taylor, Katz, who was chair of the Museum’s Board of Trustees from 2007–10, created the first Independent Woman Luncheon in 2011 and served as chair of the inaugural IWL planning committee. The annual spring event has grossed nearly $2.5 million in support of exhibitions and arts education programs at Phoenix Art Museum over its history. In addition to her volunteer leadership with IWL, Ellen and Howard Katz endowed funds in 2006 to support the construction of the 25,000-square-foot Ellen and Howard C. Katz Wing for Modern Art, and in 2007, Ellen created and chaired the inaugural pARTy, the Museum’s annual fall gala, at which she was recently honored. In October 2019, Katz was named an honorary Trustee of the Museum’s Board of Trustees for her longtime service and dedication to Phoenix Art Museum.
“We are very excited to honor Ellen Katz at this spring’s IWL,” said Lisa Portigal, co-chair of the 2020 IWL planning committee. “Through Ellen’s impactful leadership, the Independent Woman Luncheon has grown to become one of the Valley’s most beautiful and successful events benefitting art and arts education at Phoenix Art Museum.”
This year’s Luncheon will also honor former IWL planning committee chairs, all of whom have provided vital support for the arts through their dedication to the Museum. Guests will be able to bid on 50 tablescapes, created by many of Phoenix’s most acclaimed design firms and inspired by Bullard’s work. All proceeds from the Independent Woman Luncheon, including those generated at the auction, are given in support of exhibitions and education programs at Phoenix Art Museum.
Tickets and Event Information:
Tickets are $300 for individual seats. Hosted tables of 10 begin at $3,000. To purchase tickets or receive further information, contact specialevents@phxart.org. Find more event information and ticket links (when available) at phxart.org.
For interviews, images, and press, contact Margaree Bigler, assistant director of marketing and PR, at margaree.bigler@phxart.org.
The 2020 Independent Woman Luncheon is made possible through the generosity of Distinctive Custom Cabinetry, David E. Adler Fine Rugs, Desert Star Construction, Inc., PHX Architecture & Salcito Custom Homes, Kravet, Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine, Vadara Quartz Surfaces, Arcadia Farms, Fully Loaded Deliveries, LUXE Interiors + Design, Premiere Wood Floors, Inc., Walt Danley Christie’s International Real Estate, Ardy’s Custom Workshop, bulthaup scottsdale, Ellen Katz, Lisa Portigal, and Tod Carson, Inc.
About the Independent Woman Luncheon
First established in 2011, the Independent Woman Luncheon is a philanthropic event that raises funds for exhibitions and education programs at Phoenix Art Museum. The 2020 event is led by a committee consisting of Lisa Portigal, Libby Cohen, George Abrams, Molly Dalton, Katie Drost, and honorary committee advisor Matthew Boland.
About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum has provided millions of guests with access to world-class art and experiences in an effort to ignite imaginations, create meaningful connections, and serve as a brave space for all people who wish to experience the transformative power of art. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, the Museum is a vibrant destination for the visual arts and the largest art museum in the southwestern United States. Each year, more than 350,000 guests engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 20,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern and contemporary art, and fashion design. The Museum also presents a comprehensive film program, live performances, and educational programs designed for visitors of all ages, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org or call 602.257.1880.
About Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Martyn Lawrence Bullard is a multi-award winning Los Angeles-based interior designer who has earned significant international acclaim for his impressive mastery of a broad range of styles and unrivaled attention to detail. His work has appeared in more than 4,000 publications worldwide, including Architectural Digest, ELLE Decor, House & Garden, W, Vogue, House Beautiful, Harper’s Bazaar, Departures, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, among others. Beyond his exquisite residential portfolio, Bullard has also overseen the design of several premier hospitality properties around the world and is currently overseeing hotel designs in Istanbul, along with the Four Seasons Residences in Los Angeles. In addition to his design studio, Bullard has created an eponymous collection of indoor and outdoor fabrics, wallpaper, furniture, and home accessories available through his firm.
Participating Designers
(Listing as of 12/05/2019)
Amy Strang Interiors LLC
Andrea Wachs Interior Design
Angelic Grove
Angelica Henry Design
Arcadia Design Group
Arizona North Chapter of ASID
Avant-Garde Studio
Bar Napkin Productions
Bouton and Foley Interiors Inc.
Brady Gray Home
bungalow furniture
CeTerra Accents & Interiors
Charles Glover Interiors
Clyde Hardware
The Collector’s House
Cornelia Park
David Michael Miller Associates
DeCesare Design Group
Denise Milano Design
Facings of America
Flora Bella
George Abrams
Guided Home Design
House of James
Jaimee Rose Interiors
John Brooks, Inc.
Kim Gwozdz
KT Tamm Inc
Lissa Lee Hickman/LHL Inc.
Lori Clarke Design
Luxe Pros
Main Dish
Mendil + Meyer Design Studio
Nelson Barnum Interiors
Oh Sugar! Event Design and Paperie
Ownby Design
The Refined Group
Robert Burg Design
Roux Design Studio
Scottsdale Interior Design Group
Stephanie Larsen Interior Design
Tabarka Studio
Thomas Hoyle Flowers
Tod Carson Inc.
Valerianne of Scottsdale
Vallone Design
Victoria King Design
Wiseman & Gale Interiors