A Fundraiser Turns XV

The Dream Foundation's annual event was turning 15 and like any teenager, it was running a little late! We have worked with this wonderful organization for years but for a variety of reasons all the elements were not finalized until only two weeks before the event. That's when we received the call to design this year's fund-raising event. It was held at The Bacara Resort and Spa in Santa Barbara and featured a fashion show by Carolina Herrera.

Making things happen under pressure just happens to be something we love and our entire team rose to the occasion.

The stage design was simple and effective. The lighting, a joint effort between myself and Bellavista Designs in Santa Barbara, made the stage come alive.

For the fashion show, the Carolina Herrara camp insisted on an all-white room so the fashions would stand out. I had to fight for gold accents on the guest table settings. But actually, this was the perfect canvas for me to create an LED light show so the entire room could change color during the evening.

This light change was used during the performance by Taylor Dayne. In this photo, I was on stage with Show Director Lisa Jones getting last-minute information on Kenny Loggins and his performance. Lighting cues were literally being decided up to the last minute.

Another look to the room. Lighting was really a key element to making this design work given the parameters we had. It didn't hurt that I had a GREAT programmer who totally "got" what I was trying to do. And really, that's what it's all about. At the end of the day (or in this case, the event) it's the people and teamwork that enable us to produce a look this gorgeous in mere weeks.