Tony Bennett and Everett Raymond “Ray” Kinstler / photo credit: Joe Standart

[New York, NY] — On November 4th, The Art Students League of New York will host a gala to honor New York icon, Tony Bennett. The world-renowned entertainer and painter will accept The Everett Raymond Kinstler Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is named after Everett Raymond “Ray” Kinstler, the American portraitist who recently passed away, and was a longtime friend of Bennett and an Art Students League patron.

The glamorous “Expect the Unexpected” themed soireé will take place at The Paradise Club, an exclusive event space inside the Times Square EDITION Hotel. The evening will feature a three-course meal from critically acclaimed chef, John Fraser, and will be hosted by American singer, actor, and dancer Joel Grey. There also will be intimate live performances by Grey, indie rock outfit Susan Said, and more. 

A limited number of tickets are still available. For details, please contact the benefits office, Bowen & Company, at 914-231-6180 or unexpected@bowenandco.com. Guests can also purchase tickets HERE.

Tony Bennett, who paints under his birth name, Anthony Benedetto, will present his expansive portfolio of artwork at the Art Students League of New York’s American Fine Arts Society Gallery on November 5th. The varied collection includes oil paintings and watercolors denoting landscapes from Nice to New York and intimate ink drawings ranging from self-portraits to a notable depiction of collaborator and pop superstar Lady Gaga.

"God is Love" Duke Ellington, 1993. Tony Bennett / Benedetto © 1996

About The Art Students League of New York:

The League was founded in 1875 by students breaking away from the National Academy of Design. That independent spirit remains at The League today, where students pursue their work unconstrained by dogma, politics or burdensome tuition. Students are educated in the language and process of making art in an environment where anyone who wishes to pursue arts education can realize his or her full potential. The League fulfills this mission by offering affordable, high-quality education and instruction in painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and assemblage. Artists who have studied at the League include Georgia O'Keeffe, Norman Rockwell, Romare Bearden, Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, James Rosenquist, and Ai-Weiwei, among others. www.theartstudentsleague.org

About Tony Bennett:

Tony Bennett's life and philosophy is the embodiment of the Great American Story. As he celebrates his 90th birthday on the 3rd of this month, his career as the pre-eminent singer of the 20th and 21st centuries is unprecedented. He continues to be embraced and loved by audiences of all generations. Born in Queens, N.Y., in 1926, Mr. Bennett served in the Army during World War II and marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma during the Civil Rights Movement, and was honored by the United Nations for his humanitarian efforts and ideals. As a musical performer he has received 19 Grammy Awards, is a Kennedy Center Honoree and an NEA Jazz Master. With his wife Susan, he established Exploring the Arts to support arts education in public high schools.

Tony Bennett is also an accomplished painter whose passion for the visual arts began as a child growing up in Astoria, Queens and has flourished throughout his life. Painting under his given name of Anthony Benedetto, he has three paintings in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC and has exhibited his artwork in museums and galleries throughout the world. Whether performing in concert for sold-out audiences or painting in his art studio in New York City, Tony Bennett has used his exceptional creative talents to search for "truth and beauty" in his artistry.