Color Me Goodwill… more than a colorful event
March 9, 2016
Asheville has received notoriety for many things in recent years but one of the more interesting aspects is the proliferation of upcycling designers. Downtown shops are filled with their eclectic fashions and these designers have long realized Goodwill’s retail stores as the Mecca for bargains and “special “finds” to transform into their own creations. What better way to invite people to learn more about Goodwill than to feature some of these talented upcyclers in a fun fashion show. On March 18 at Asheville’s Diana Wortham Theatre, six prominent designers, along with six talented artists, will participate in the Second Annual Color Me Goodwill event to generate awareness of the “mission” side of Goodwill… the one that provides job training and support to anyone struggling to get back on solid ground.
This is the story that is behind this vibrant evening when Goodwill presents: Color Me Goodwill… a Fusion of Fashion, Art & Food for a Mission.
Color Me Goodwill… A Fusion of Fashion, Art and Food for a Mission
Attendees will be entertained from the moment they arrive at the cocktail hour from 6 – 7 pm in the lobby of Diana Wortham Theatre. While guests enjoy wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres, The Sara Fields Trio will set the tone to inspire the six local artists engaging in a live painting performance. The finished artwork will be donated to the Asheville Area Arts Council to auction off as a fundraising effort. In addition, they are managing the wine and beer bar with profits going to the Council.
At 7 pm, everyone will be ushered into the theatre for the fashion show. Designers were invited to select a color, shop at Goodwill, and create a line of fashions their hue as the creative catalyst. The six colors — white, black, red, purple, blue and green — correspond to the palette used by the artists. The fashion show, as well as the entire event, is being produced by actress/model Sarah Merrellwho has gathered the 30 professional models to showcase the colorful designs. And to spotlight the mission part of the evening, the models of each color-specific fashion show will be joined by Goodwill participants or staff members, all with makeup and hair done by the pros.
The evening’s fast pace will be kept on track by iHeartRadio personalities, Josh Michael and Jeff Messer, as emcees of the show. Deejay Thomas Royal will keep the music flowing with sound and lighting managed by W. Erik McDaniel who has produced many shows for the theatre. And well-known fashion photographer Max Ganly will capture the evening for the future.
Ticket price of $15 (plus tax) includes one drink ticket, hors d’oeuvres, entertainment and the fashion show. Visit tickets.colormegoodwill.orgto purchase tickets. For more information and a list of all participants visit colormegoodwill.org.
The Designers:
· Danielle Chaboudy (white), is owner of The Enchanted Forrest, Asheville’s nationally recognized resale/consignment boutique. facebook.com/enchanted.forrest.3
· Leanna Echeverri (purple) of Grateful Threads, designs pieces that are sustainable and artistic that are affordable and conscionable… ecoFashion for green living. facebook.com/GratefulThreadsOrganics
· Malou Cordery (blue), is a recyclable fashion designer who enjoys using her imagination to create unique fashion designs out of unconventional materials. maloustyle.com
· Rachel Friel (green) is owner of Hip-remix that skirts waste and waists with fun, comfortable, easy to care for causal wear made from recycled fabrics. etsy.com/shop/Hipremix
· Tricia Ellis (black) unleashed her premiere line during Asheville Fashion Week illustrating clean silhouettes of clothes meant to wear. facebook.com/tricia.m.ellis
· McKinney Gough (red) of McKinney Gough Designs has delighted the fashion scene with her wearable paper sculptures and Victorian/Steampunk inspired menswear. mckinneygoughdesign.com
The Artists:
· Fleta Monaghan (green) is a painter and sculptor and considered a pioneer artist of Asheville’s River Arts District. 310art.com
· Mary Alice Ramsey (blue) experiments with many materials and modes of expression and is constantly influenced by natural wonders, human interaction, and by the art of others. maryaliceramsey.com
· Craig Burgwardt (black) hails from Waynesville and expresses himself through art, photography and other mediums. craigburgwardt.com
· Lorelle Bacon (white) is an artist and instructor working and teaching oils, watercolor, scratchboard, graphite and pastel. lorellebacon.com
· Nute Nicholson (red) has recently relocated from New York. He has added painting to his successful career as a photographer. nutenicholson.com
· Melissa Jane Kucin (purple) is a modern Impressionist who expresses emotion through color, texture, and motion created by quick brush strokes. artwanted.com/kucin