Artnet News, Neil Became a Teachers Assistant for these classes and about 5 years ago started to teach the classes himself. From left: Dede and Al Wilsey in 2001, Cissie Swig in 1992, Frances and John Bowes in 1995; Sharon Owsley in 1993 | San Francisco Examiner via Library of Congress // dataType: 'json', loadFontAwesome: false He began to fantasize about her sexually as a teenager, trying to see her through his father's eyes. } else { ); Right now we have Muslim fashions, we just closed Truth and Beauty, which was Pre-Raphaelite Art. As happens with some memoirs, author and subject appear to be in two polarized camps, with Wilsey's friends protecting him and his stepmothers' friends protectively closing ranks around her. Michael Taylor decorated Trevors parents homes, and his grandmothers house in Newport, Rhode Island, was done in the 1960s by Valerian Rybar; Thomas Britt decorated the homes of Alexis parents. This is a carousel. In 1980, she married dairy millionaire Wilsey, who had recently divorced his third wife, Pat Montandon. function daysToMinutes(numDays) { In fact, we planned a big outdoor christening, but it rainedand it never rains in Napa. The quick-thinking couple cleared out all the furniture in the seldom-used formal parlor to allow about 60 guests to gather inside for the ceremony. I would say most of them couldnt do what Im doing. Stepmother of Sean Wilsey. Although the exact amount she has donated over the years is not known, Wilsey helped bring in more than $200 million to rebuild the, lthough her role as a member of the board has her at the museum several days of the week, she looks at the de Young with childlike wonder. In August 2016, Trump came to the Bay Area for fundraisers at private homes in Napa and on the Peninsula. By WWD Staff. $('body').append(ouibounceScript); I installed that one and I still felt sad. Alexis and I were married there on the front lawn, Trevor recalls, and our son was christened here. We love living as much as we can outdoors, Alexis says. By And was this book written for revenge? setTimeout(function() { defernl() }, 250); * There is probably no need to call this directly - use setNewsletterCookie(). if (!found) { var $ = window.jQuery; If they want to join, fine., Wilseys been trying to make San Francisco a better place since she first came here over 40 years ago. , link = document.createElement('link'); Napa Valley's flagship festival presents international stars and emerging talent in free and affordable concerts in iconic venues, and to audiences virtually worldwide. 74 is the new 54 and Wilseys bubbly blonde beauty has not faded. In his book, 34-year-old Sean Wilsey blames his stepmother for the breakup of his parents' marriage, and, in part, for his spiral into delinquency. Or that rich people have cliques, just like everyone else, but because so few people are so very rich, the pool of friends and prospective spouses is small, making for lots of interconnected relationships. Son of Pat Montandon and the late Al Wilsey, stepson of Dede Wilsey. I was at boarding school when my parents (pictured here) called to say, We just bought a vineyard in Napa Valley! I bought a Koons egg. SignupForm.init($modal.find('form'), function onSuccess() { Financial support from Ann and Gordon Getty, Tatiana and Gerret Copeland, Peter T. Paul, Athena and Timothy Blackburn, Maria Manetti Shrem, Dede Wilsey, John Traina, and Robert and Margrit Mondavi, among others in addition to the generous support of numerous individuals, partner wineries, resorts and hotels, and local businesses helped launch what is now one of the countrys top summer festivals. // Check if ouibounce exist before calling ouibounce I loved that painting. 649 Main Street Right now we have, Social Media Management for Interior Designers, Social Media Management for Real Estate Developers, Gettys Throw Star-Studded Poker Night For AmfAR, Faena Debuts Newest ShowSamsara Cabaret At Faena Theatre, Blossoms Rare: Haute Livings Exclusive Editorial Featuring, Chasing The Sun: Haute Livings Exclusive Editorial, Le Grand Ball of Time: Haute Livings Exclusive Editorial, Braman Miamis Mike Rodriguez On The Power Of, Gucci Taps Its 90s Archives For The Fall/Winter 2023, Inside Jenny Cipolettis Glamorous Baby Dior Baby, From Naomi Campbell To Sadie Sink: Inside Alexander, New York City Welcomes Haute Leaders For The First Time. Traina was nominated by President Trump and approved by the Senate, before he moved his wife, Alexis Swanson Traina, and two children, to Europe. What work do you wish you had bought when you had the chance? } What does the story tell readers about high-society life? To find out if you are eligible for an Artnet News Pro group subscription, 707-963-0278 f Wilsey and I are 30 minutes into an hour-long conversation, and I . Their May engagement was followed in August by a garden wedding for 400 in the tiny Napa town of Oakville. Top Image: Carlo Mondavi is equal parts entrepreneur, winemaker, and goodwill ambassador. setNewsletterCookie('recentlyShown', 1); Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. She married John Traina after his divorce from Dede. She is the chairman emeritus of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. St. Helena, CA 94574 Diane (Dede) Wilsey relinquished the title of C.E.O. It concerns me greatly. Yes, tourists still pack tasting rooms and trek wine trails, but Napa Valley has also become a haven for entertaining, hobnobbing, creating, and soul-searching. I actually really love it, but it is just not very practical. Caillebotte. Its a museum picture and it really belongs in a museum. From 1979 to 1982, she was the society columnist for the San Francisco Examiner. return c.substring(name.length,c.length); link.type = 'text/css'; It looks just like my littlest Maltese. Really. I always regretted not buying it. The new Mission Bay hospital complex will include: a 183-bed UCSF Children's Hospital to replace inpatient . Her sons position is a full circle moment for Wilsey: from 1975 to 1977 her father, Wiley T. Buchanan Jr., served the same role under President Gerald Ford. data: JSON.stringify( $form.serializeFormJSON() ), Standard subscriptions can be purchased on the subscription page. I have two sofas in two roomsone has a Hockney and the other a Picasso above it. st.helena, ca 94574 Mine was wine; Claiborne (center)s, photography; and Veronica (front)s, fashion. return; Another aspect of her charm? The author's feelings toward his stepmother careen wildly from veneration to venom: He adored her until he was sent off to boarding school and then several reform schools. Dede Wilsey said she has no intention of reading the memoir. Dede Wilsey, who grew up going to her family's newport home, beaulieu, photographed with her son todd Photo courtesy of Spencer Brown. $form.find('.invalid-email').show().siblings().hide(); Wendy Sheanin, events manager at the store, said that anything associated with McSweeney's or bearing the word McSweeney's pricks the interest of readers. Theres nothing I love more than sitting in the passenger seat with him driving, going nowhere fast. The home was built in the 1860s by H.W. And the thing is, we come from wicker. (Well, almost. if (getCookie(cookieNames[i]).length) { //if there are cookies indicating that we shouldn't show the signup bar, then the modal won't have been added to the page Dede Wilsey's House (Google Maps). Everybody you can imagine. } + '<\/div>' I look at this picture all the time. The Koons egg in Dede Wilseys collection. She is the widow of Alfred Wilsey, who . Her fierce commitment and intense loyalty can also be seen in her tireless philanthropic works. At the forefront of this cultural dimension is Nimbus Arts!, Nimbus continues to be an amazing gift to this community and we are forever grateful to the entire team for your creativity, genius, dedication and commitment., Trevor & Kelly Foster, Nimbus Arts Leadership Circle and Supporter, Art is a powerful healer! Al Wilsey died in 2002 at the age of 82. She also told her son that she had cancer and would "be dead by Christmas," but mysteriously, lived on -- with no explanation as to her recovery. Married four times. They are confident and bold in how they live. slideInModal('Up'); With inspiring education programs for youth and seniors, tuition-free summer academies for vocalists and instrumentalists, and scholarships for talented students, Festival Napa Valley plays a vital part in creating a thriving, healthy, and engaged community, fulfilling its mission to bring the arts to all. }, 7500); Giovanni Antonio Canal, Il Canaletto, Entrance to the Grand Canal looking East, with Santa Maria della Salute at right. "If I saw a book in that bookstore with that title, I'd think it was about an Indian princess covered with emeralds, or a memoir about some war general on the winning side. Everybodys psyche is high, and now theyre very much looking forward to the new director, Wilsey says. I dont care. In my bathroom, I have dog portraits and Chinese export porcelain. Share. })(); artnet and our partners use cookies to provide features on our sites and applications to improve your online experience, including for analysis of site usage, traffic measurement, and for advertising and content management. Since 2019, Wilsey has also underwritten the museums Free Saturday program, providing free general admission to the de Young and Legion of Honor for Bay Area residents every weekend. Memoir by son of S.F. script.src = "https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.1.1.min.js"; } .fail(function(jqXHR, textStatus){ Wilsey recently spoke to Artnet News from her San Francisco home, where commissioned portraits of her dogs share wall space with Monet and Kandinsky. "In any discussion about Napa Valley culture, the first two words that invariably come up are "wine" and "food." . Reading between the lines, a reader could glean that rich people have problems, just like everyone else, but have the money to solve their troubles differently -- sending problem children out of their lives, in hopes that someone else can fix them. 2023 Artnet Worldwide Corporation. if ($modal.hasClass('slideInDown')) return; + '<\/i>' It was great because hes now the ambassador and my father was ambassador to Austria, also. View ALL 9 Photos. Thats scary. Some of the trees are 130 years old. $.each(a, function () { San Francisco jet-setter Denise Hale, who was once married to Hollywood director Vincente Minnelli, has seen her share of friends become the subject of tell-all books. When I first arrived at the French Laundry, Napa Valleys iconic images of vineyard-latticed hills dotted with chateaus and bountiful farms and orchards resonated with me. // Extends jQuery with a function to serialize to JSON 649 main street I started to research my book, From Napa with Love, which was published by Abrams in September, by reaching out to the areas most colorful characters, people I grew up around or just admired, like film-maker and writer Roman Coppola, interior designer Ken Fulk, and Elizabeth Swanson, my wonderfully talented mother. + '<\/form>' My lunch, if Im home, its on a tray with my dog. map, photo credits | site by tmarks | dev by sa8. Do memoirists -- especially those with dark secrets to tell -- necessarily do so for revenge? Sean Wilsey is hard on his mother, Montandon, a beauty from Oklahoma once squired by Frank Sinatra, because she was always trying to be a somebody. } . Microsoft has removed the Birds Eye imagery for this map. San Francisco philanthropist Dede Wilsey underwrites the festival's dance series, which has featured dancers from American Ballet Theatre, Bandaloop, Bolshoi Ballet, . Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. A fabulous Caillebotte in London. $('#ouibounce-modal') Jeanine Willi Markie // =================================================================== } else { Then you suddenly say to yourself, Why in the world did I do that?! Please log off from any other devices, and then reload this page continue. The Traina clan pulled out all the stops for their biennial Fourth of July barn dance held at the family's Napa Valley vineyard. + '
dede wilsey napa
' My ten-year-old grandson thinks its so cool. } }); What was your first purchase (and how much did you pay for it)? }; // Hide the errors Wilsey is the mother of film producer Todd Traina and Trevor Traina. Iwas just visiting my one son who lives in Austria, now, she mentions casually. I founded Nimbus Arts to bring art to more people. function addCss(fileName) { His addition to our metal arts team sharpened our offerings and his popular programs have proven to be a cut above! It is a nurturing environment where I feel comfortable at work with my new creations and benefit being surrounded by such talented people and their positive energy. }, Vittoria Benzine, Dede Wilsey has been a supporter of the de Young Museum in San Francisco since 1998, but she only began collecting art for herself a few years later, when she was looking for a place to put her . Its like having a mini-course every time we have a new exhibition. Then Montandon became hostess of a TV show, where she caught Al Wilsey's eye. Website design by Compass Marketing, website development by StoryWorkz. // Init - Anything you want to happen onLoad (usually event bindings) clearInterval(initOuibounce); She is a grandmother on the loose, with good taste. The strength of the book is that Sean Wilsey is a terrific writer. Since then, the Trainas have made plenty of their own memories at the estate. pagetypeurl = document.URL, } } "Yes, it's set in San Francisco, and those of us who've lived here a long time know many of the characters and wonder how they'll feel about different parts of the book, but it's a universal story," said Elaine Petrocelli, co- owner of Book Passage in Corte Madera. . // don't show it on paywall-related pages where the user might be in the process He now works as an editor at large for McSweeney's, co-founded by Dave Eggers. But though they threatened to give up on him, his mother, Montandon, and his father continued to support him financially, ever trying to find a new school that would set him straight. The fact that they are all-inclusive. the San Francisco Fine Art Museums nabbed it. return o; map, 707-963-5278 t What Im trying to do is make the city a better place. Dede Wilsey is a San Francisco socialite, Republican donor and philanthropist, and the widow of San Francisco businessman Al Wilsey. var $modal = $('#ouibounce-modal'); The Best Carry-On Backpacks for Every Traveler, The Best Luxury Luggage for Traveling in Style, A Guide to 8 Hotels in The Reluctant Traveler. The goal was to create a useful guide to the place and to offer a look at the people who make it special. + ' @media (max-width: 767px){ .close-signup {top:0 !important;} }' We have such diversity in our exhibitions, and its a learning experience every time we open an exhibition. signedUp: { For me it has always been the peoplea tapestry of interwoven multigenerational tribes made up of families, farmers, field-workers, wine- makers, chefs, and creative talent of all sorts. We needed a museum, and it had been there, it was just so damaged by the earthquake that it couldnt stay open anymore. link.href = fileName; Many a woman shudders at the terrible eclipse of those intellectual powers which in early life seemed prophetic of usefulness and happiness, hence the army of martyrs among our married and unmarried women who, not having cultivated a taste for science, art or literature, form a corps of nervous patients who make fortunes for agreeable physicians Sarah M. Grimke (17921873). But two people can be in the same place at the same time and come away with two different perceptions of reality. Trevor's father, the late John Traina, was a winegrower and vintner in the Napa Valley for many years. top: 'auto', Maupin doesn't think so. + '
' + 'Signup failed. throw Error('onSuccess callback is required'); Now living in Los Angeles, she's writing her own memoir. } validate: function( $form, $email ){ The longtime supporter of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco on the Caillebotte that got away and the pleasures of pet portraiture. Along the way, theatrical and visual arts experiences expanded into . var ctx = this; }, $modal.find('.form-row').hide(); I am truly a happy camper!, Dianne Martinez, Nimbus Arts first ArtPass holder, The caliber and quality of Nimbus Arts programming is exemplary. It was as if true refinement had sprung to life. Her profiles of personalities have included fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Emanuel Ungaro fashion house owner Asim Abdullah, to name a few. Wilsey and I are 30 minutes into an hour-long conversation, and I couldnt agree with her more. Stepfather to Todd and Trevor Traina. + '<\/div>' Alexis Trainas ode to Napa Valley, which appears in the November issue of Town & Country, went to the printers before the devastating fires broke out in California earlier this month. What about in your bathroom? She declined to address specifics in the memoir. Bottlerock Napa Valley 2021 reminds us of what it means to just feel good again. beloved husband of Diane (Dede) Buchanan, and loving father of Susan Smallwood, Michael . Thats me with my husband and partner in crime, Trevor Traina. The reason I dont like to be called a socialite is I dont really do anything social. She claims the long, unpaved, tree-lined driveway as being her favorite spot on the property. map, photo credits | site by tmarks | dev by, 2023 nimbus arts tax ID: 27-1503762, Galbraith, Mayor of St. Helena and Supporter, Continued Support from Napa County Art and Culture Advisory Committee, Benefits of Artmaking on Mental & Emotional Health, Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Co.s Nimbus Creativity Blend, CL 1 Foundations in Clay: Hand Building and Wheel Throwing Techniques, PD 1-2 High School Master Artists Open Studio. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE PHOTO BYCHRISTINA KOCI HERNANDEZ CAT, Mr and Mrs Alfred Wilsey Sean Wilsey alleges that his stepmother did not allow him or his stepbrothers from Wilsey's previous marriages to view their father's will. Ive had two husbands die and then that person. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. function getCookie(cname, prefix) { You may wish to switch to the. submit: function($form, onSuccess) { After about 10 years, I wasnt sad anymore and I had lot of paintings. var o = {}; }; By Carol Hyman. closeSignupBar(); A cross-country move to California came next. Stepbrothers of Sean Wilsey. $.ajax({ Diane "Dede" Wilsey, Philanthropist. Festival Napa Valley is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Needless to say, we were immediately smitten. I love this picture by artist Rupert Bunny. Its like having a mini-course every time we have a new exhibition. The catalyst was the Russian National Orchestras annual summer residency in Northern California, starting in 1999. Like. checkCookies(); You cant tell the difference. Sean Wilsey's charming manner, the quality of his writing and his connection to McSweeney's will lend an already compelling story some extra cachet, booksellers said, as will the bird's-eye view into the lifestyles of the rich, if not famous. link.rel = 'stylesheet'; When they rebuilt it, they modernized it and reworked some of the space. Hes an Australian. On October 10, she emailed us an .css-gegin5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#9a0500;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-gegin5:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}update after evacuating from Yountville, and this week, she sent us news that she and a number of local winemakers, chefs, and other concerned citizens (including many profiled in this story) have partnered with Tipping Point to form Napa & Sonoma Relief, a fund that will provide support to those most impacted by the fires. setTimeout(function() { But this could have happened to a kid anywhere. Thirty-two years ago my serial entrepreneur father, Clarke Swanson, got an itch, a romantic notion of the American dream, and in the blink of an eye purchased a hundred acres in Napa Valley, on Oakville Cross Road. }); */ "To quote my dad, 'That school was a salvation for you. regex: { Contributing to the causes she believes in is her job and one that she takes very seriously. setTimeout(function() { Thanks to generous support from Dede Wilsey, the festival brings some of the world's finest classical and contemporary dancers and dance companies to the Napa Valley, often for the first time. $form.find('.signup-failed').show().siblings().hide(); During lunch at her Napa Valley estate, a white Maltese sat on her lap, sniffing a plate of sliced peaches and . The "Access for All campaign" submitted a petition to the San Francisco elections department Monday with enough signatures to get a measure on the November ballot. var script = document.createElement('script'); That art needed a home, so I think it was pretty simple, we just had to rebuild it. While it was 10 years of hard work, Wilsey counts the de Young as the achievement she is most proud of. w = pagetype + 20 * Math.round(w / 20), h = pagetype + 20 * Math.round(h / 20), googletag.cmd.push(function() { Festival Napa Valley introduces audiences to the beauty, artistry and joy of dance through this innovative series. Every once in a while Ill buy something so huge that I wonder, where will I put thisor so tiny that I cant really see it. The festival attracts over 10,000 guests each season. Times have changed since Buchanan was the ambassador and this is apparent in the security team that accompanies Traina and his family everywhere in Austria. }); Search. In 2016 she contributed to more than 380 different charities. expiration_days: 14 She was a part of the search committee that found the new director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), the umbrella that oversees both the de Young and the Legion of Honor. + '<\/div>' "What's impressive is the degree to which he acknowledges the good and the bad in both sets of parents," Maupin said. The author of "Oh the Glory of It All." + '' if (prefix == undefined) { St.Helena, CA 94574 } . //don't run this function if the user has already triggered the modal by leaving the viewport I wish him well.". FIESTA Da de los Muertos celebrates life with music, dancing, art, and flowers. Immediately after the valley wildfires that devastated our community. Then I have to pinch myself and think no, its somebody else. A well-known donor to Bay Area causes and an heiress to the Dow Chemical fortune, Wilsey recently stepped down from her 21-year position as the president of the San Francisco Fine Arts Museums board. Their imaginative approach is consistently fun, educational and innovative. In fact, doing so is something of a family tradition. Her father had been an ambassador to Luxembourg and Austria, and chief of protocol to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Welcome to this world famous wine growing region "Napa Valley", Carson Levit and Suzanne Devitt Levit's Vineyard. Todd Traina is a film producer. And I typically react when I see something and it touches me. A national book-signing tour is scheduled to follow. function setCookie(cname, cvalue, expMinutes, prefix) { } Blacksmithing and blade smithing classes followed, and he found his passion. nimbus arts, a community-based nonprofit, ignites artistic expression across the napa valley. The car looks like something out of a movie, Wilsey explains. After her marriage to Al Wilsey went south, Montandon went East -- to Egypt, the Vatican and Russia -- with a children's brigade advocating world peace. timeout: 10000 A renowned artist, entertainer, and major league raconteur, Ira Yaeger also happens to be my mothers best friend. It was part of a Christmas gift to my now husband, Kurt. On March 22, local booksellers gathered at the Presidio for a private meet-and-greet with Wilsey, an editor at large at McSweeney's Quarterly -- a hip, nationally distributed literary magazine co-founded by San Francisco author Dave Eggers. Over the years, Wilsey has earned a place on the Mount Rushmore of remarkable women who lead by giving and doing for the City's premier cultural institutions. As Herb Caen used to say, 'There's nothing older than yesterday's news.' Nimbus responded by providing community mosaic events, which they do so incredibly well. } + '
' Please try again later.' Elizabeth and Clarke Swanson. More than 200 artists, wineries, resorts, theaters, restaurants, chefs, and vintners participate each year, joining with audiences, patrons, staff and volunteers to create a vibrant and vital community. So, whats the difference? Helsinki, Finland - July 19, 2017 Co-operation begins with interfaces for NAPA Steel and NDES Beagle, linking early-stage design with production planning NAPA, a leading global maritime software, services and data analysis provider, and NTT Data Engineering Systems (NDES), Japanese experts in maritime software development and engineering, today announced collaboration on ship design and . Inside where the staircase isI looked over there and I sort of expected my parents to come down the stairs. + '