Art, fashion collide in ArtAID

The theme for last year’s ArtAID was the 1980s, which left the stylists charged with creating memorable looks feeling just a bit constrained. After all, as decades go, the ’80s were no ’60s.

No such problem this year, when the theme of the annual fundraiser is “The Crystal Ball.”

“You could do anything with that theme, and we have,” said Debbie Stuber, manager of ABLS A Paul Mitchell Salon. “This year, it’s just like the sky’s the limit.”

ArtAID 2015 takes place Saturday at the Cotillion. As usual, it’s a mix of art, music, dance, fashion and drink geared toward an adult audience. Now in its 21st year, ArtAID raises money for Positive Directions, a nonprofit that serves people who have HIV and AIDS.

“It’s a very long tradition in this community,” said Renee Duxler, the agency’s executive director. “It really takes the participation of so many creatives in this community to make this really dynamic, provocative type of show you don’t see anywhere else in Wichita.

“It just ends up being a party, essentially.”

Positive Directions uses proceeds from the event to help its clients with medical access, transportation, housing, food and other needs, and uses part of the proceeds for education and prevention services.

ArtAID includes live and silent auctions of more than 100 works by local artists, including Wade Hampton, Marc Bosworth, Stephen Miner, Charles Baughman, Charlotte Martin and Rebecca Hoyer.

Evasive Flowers – a one-woman band who creates songs with nothing but her voice and loop pedal – will perform, as will male and female dancers acting out routines in between runway appearances by models.

Producing and directing the entertainment is Aaron Wirtz, probably best known as the hyperactive star of the Super Car Guy commercials (“Where buying a car doesn’t have to suck”).

“It’s a modern take on the old fortune teller,” Wirtz said of the show’s theme. “The mystical character ‘Crystal’ will give fortunes to various performers, who will either overcome their fortunes or kind of act out the script.”

Wirtz said he danced in ArtAID himself “once upon a time” and has served as the event’s DJ on other occasions. Models are provided by local agency Models and Images.

“It’s a combination of talent you don’t really get exposed to with any other sort of event in Wichita,” Wirtz said. “The models are world class. A lot of these are working models that do photo shoots in Chicago and New York. The dancing is very high energy. It’s always a big hit with the audience.”

It’s up to the ABLS salon to make sure the models are wearing nothing you’d encounter in real life, unless maybe you attend Fashion Week in New York. The salon’s eight stylists supply outfits and hairpieces, the wilder the better.

Stuber said the stylists have been brainstorming for weeks. One model’s dress will be made up of nothing but CDs. Another will have “a Mother Nature look, with a fabulous headpiece made out of moss and flowers and a mask made out of butterflies. And she’ll be dressed in kind of a goddess gown, but she’ll be pregnant with grass and vines all over her dress. Because she’s a mother.” Another will be a religious figure sporting a bikini. In general, there will be “a lot of glitter” and “really skimpy” get-ups, she said.

“It’s going to be pretty crazy backstage,” said salon owner Bri Williams. “But in the end, it’s worth it.”