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LongHouse Reserve Summer Benefit
Beautopia
Honored Sean Scully and Bruce Horten
Saturday June 27, 2026
Artist
Sean Scully and philanthropist Dr. Bruce
Horten were honored at LongHouse
Reserve's annual Summer Benefit,
Beautopia. More than 300 guests gathered
to celebrate and support the
institution's mission of celebrating
nature and living with art in all forms.
The evening raised vital funds for
LongHouse's educational and public
programs, the stewardship of its gardens
and world-class sculpture collection,
and the preservation of founder Jack
Lenor Larsen's iconic home.
Art historian Joachim Pissarro presented
the award to Scully. “I'm very inspired
by nature”, said Scully. “It's a very
similar story to Picasso and Matisse,
who started out in dirty old Paris,
toughing it out, and when they became
successful they moved to the South of
France. What I've done is move out
here.”
LongHouse President Louis Bradbury said,
“Bruce is a multifaceted gentleman, who
spent his professional career as a
medical pathologist creating and leading
a laboratory dedicated to the analysis
of cancerous tissues and developing
effective treatments, saving many many
lives. He and his late partner Aaron
Lieber were consummate art collectors
who surrounded their lives with art and
music. Bruce generously supports many
cultural organizations to make art and
music available to everyone.
“In my first 3 months at LongHouse, I’ve
been welcomed with open arms by the
dedicated staff and docents, amazing
Trustees, all the wonderful artists that
make LongHouse burst with creativity…
and all of you….. everyone who loves
LongHouse”, shared new Executive
Director Lara Sweeney. “I’ve gotten to
know the 16 acres of gardens that we
steward. More than one million daffodil
buds greeted me in the spring, and I’ve
learned that we are home to one of the
largest stands of Redwoods on the East
Coast. I’ve met dozens of students who
visit us free of charge throughout the
year as part of our school visit
program. We know that children who spend
time in nature, and engage in art making
are more likely to thrive. I’ve learned
that for some, we are a place of
healing. I met a veteran during my first
days here, who shared that his visits to
LongHouse have helped make living with
PTSD a little more bearable. I’ve seen
what it means firsthand to support and
uplift artists. Thank you to all the
wonderful artists in this tent tonight,
especially those who contributed to our
art auction! You enrich LongHouse and
our greater community in countless ways.
Most of all, I’ve learned that LongHouse
is more than an arts center, more than a
garden, we are a place where people find
connection, where kids learn and
thrive…and for so many, it is a place
that feels like magic.”
Gala Co-Chairs, Raisa Lopez-Rhoden and
Gael Towey, created the magical
Beautopia landscape with bright colorful
decor, flowing spirits, and delicious
local food. “For me, LongHouse is deeply
personal”, said Lopez-Rhoden. “Five
years ago, my husband and I were married
right here on this lawn, so it will
always hold a very meaningful place in
my heart. The beauty surrounding us
tonight didn't happen by chance. It
exists because of a community of
gardeners, staff, volunteers, trustees,
artists, and friends who believe places
like LongHouse matter and choose to
invest their talent, and generosity to
help it thrive.”
Guests included Board Members Patrick
Amato, Emma Clurman, Christopher Coy,
Sherri Donghia, Anne Erni, David Fink,
Dr. Derick T. George, Michael Jones,
Deborah Nevins, Suzanne Slesin, Peter H.
Olsen, and Linda Willett, as well as
Peter Bickford and Greg McCarthy, Mary
Jane and Charles Brock, Michele and
Marty Cohen, Renée Cox, Tom D’Agostino
Jr., Laurie Lambrecht, Jada Loveless,
Faith Popcorn, Bastienne Schmidt, Lee
Skolnick, and Edwina Von Gal.
The annual art auction, spearheaded by
Dianne Benson, included works by John
Alexander, Daniel Arsham, Ross Bleckner,
Scott Bluedorn, Mary Boochever,
Stephanie Brody-Lederman, Parker
Calvert, Philippe Cheng, Liz Collins,
Andrea Cote, Renée Cox, David Kennedy
Cutler, Barbara Dayton, Peter Dayton,
Michael De Feo, Christopher Robin
Duncan, Sandi Haber Fifield, Robin
Gianis, Nina Gillman, Jim Gingerich,
Alastair James Gordon, Philip Guston,
Melinda Hackett, John Haubrich, Alice
Hope, Nicholas Howey, Fitzhugh Karol,
Elizabeth Karsch, Alex Katz, Nishan
Kazazian, Donghwan Kim, Gaston Lachaise,
Laurie Lambrecht, Esther Mahlangu,
Christa Maiwald, Mica Marder, Mark
Mennin, Steve Miller, J. Oscar Molina,
Jill Moser, Robert Motherwell, Eileen
O’Kane Kornreich, Jill Platner, Dalton
Portella, Gabriele Raacke, Marko Remec,
Cheryl R. Riley, Ugo Rondinone,
Alexander Russi, Adrian Schachter, Kenny
Schachter, Bastienne Schmidt, Sean
Scully, Bruce M. Sherman, Drew Shiflett,
Jonathan Shlafer, Janice Stanton,
Clintel Steed, Hiroko Takeda, Bill
Tansey, Aurelio Torres, William Tucker,
Vadis Turner, Claire Watson, Ai Weiwei,
Jeff Lion Weinstock, Deborah Willis,
Mark William Wilson, Lucy Winton, Susan
Wood, Jason Bard Yarmosky, Jack
Youngerman, and Almond Zigmund.
LongHouse gratefully acknowledges
sponsors Audible, Bloomberg
Philanthropies, Michele and Marty Cohen,
Lucifer Lighting, Robert Brown Interior
Design, Sunbrella, Lizzie and Jonathan
Tisch, Bernadette and James Zumot, Café
Aroma, Casper's Caviar, Collina Viola,
Fusion Lighting, Hamptons Magazine,
Hampton’s Aristocrat Hospitality, Macari
Vineyards, Party Rental LTD, Stamford
Tent, Telmont Champagne, The Colony
Hotel, The Fifth Avenue Hotel,
The Modern, Umbra, Whitmores, Winter
Brothers,
and Wölffer Estate Vineyard.
ABOUT LONGHOUSE RESERVE
Nestled within the idyllic landscapes of
East Hampton, Longhouse Reserve is a
sanctuary in a 16-acre environment where
the arts and nature converge, creating a
haven for those seeking inspiration and
serenity. Founded by artist, collector,
and world-renowned textile designer and
weaver Jack Lenor Larsen (1927-2020),
the mission is to inspire living with
art in all forms. The LongHouse vision
is to serve as a living case study of
the ever-changing interactions between
nature, people, and art. The
collections, gardens, art, and programs
reflect world cultures and foster a
creative life.
The unique venue offers curated gardens,
outdoor art installations, and engaging
programs that invite individuals to
embark on a journey of discovery,
connecting with the beauty that
surrounds us. Current infrastructure
work around the property leads us to the
promise of opening the house for public
tours, an offering that our founder
desired and which we pledge to complete
as soon as possible. LongHouse has been
invited to join the National Register of
Historic Places, leading to landmark
status and preservation in perpetuity.
Over the past five years, LongHouse has
transitioned from a founder-led to board
and staff-led public institution,
serving the community with vast open
space, programs in art, nature, and
wellness, providing a sanctuary for Long
Island and beyond. The sculpture garden,
featuring more than 60 outdoor
works—including major works by
Buckminster Fuller, Yoko Ono, Toshiko
Takaezu, and Willem de Kooning, and
seasonal loans from artists such as
Maren Hassinger, William Kentridge,
Kenny Scharf, Sean Scully, and Gaston
Lachaise—encourages exploration and
contemplation for new and repeat
visitors alike. The garden is fully open
to the public for education and
enjoyment, with a next chapter of
welcoming visitors into Larsen’s home (a
modernist structure based on the Shinto
Shrine at Ise), so that all can see his
extensive craft and design collections.
Core values of creativity, resilience,
and sustainability spell out LongHouse’s
intentions in the years ahead.
LongHouse puts its visitors first with a
pledge to inspire creativity, offering a
place for respite and community in a
garden that will forever flourish
without chemicals or harm to nature.
Learn more about LongHouse by
downloading the Bloomberg Connects App
and searching LongHouse Reserve.
TO VISIT LONGHOUSE RESERVE:
LongHouse Reserve is open Wednesdays
through Sundays from 12:30pm until 5pm.
A Membership allows you to visit
throughout the season, and come early
for Member Mornings on Saturday and
Sunday (10:30am - 12:30pm) for art
making, walking, and special programs.
General admission is $20, with half
price tickets for seniors, and no charge
for veterans, active-duty personnel,
members of the Shinnecock Nation,
children under 12, and students with
valid school/college ID. More
information is available at
www.longhouse.org
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