The following post is an excerpt from DIFFA Brand Ambassador and Picnic By Design participant, Michele Alfano’s blog:
Design, Food, and Charity is a great combination for a fall event. It will be my sixth year participating in DIFFA’s Picnic By Design! This event rocks …. amazing sponsors, designers, and creativity! Picnic By Design redefines the concept of a traditional picnic where 20 designers come together to create innovative picnic basket experiences that are on auction at the event with all the proceeds benefiting DIFFA’s grants for organizations fighting HIV/AIDS across the country. The twenty original basket designs will be on display alongside the New York City skyline. Lots of creative candy for the eyes. Guests who purchase a basket will bring home one-of-a-kind baskets created with love…
PICNIC BY DESIGN 2012:
In 2012, the designers were given existing bags that we had to reconstruct. The sculptures of Richard Serra inspired the design of my 2012 basket with plumbing wrap and electrical wire from the Home Depot. I felt like I was on one of those TV shows shopping in the Depot.
Dwanye Clark and Bob Gaynor purchased my bag!!
PICNIC BY DESIGN 2013:
With all the amazing work DIFFA does in promoting life and caring for those living with AIDS, Michele Alfano’s picnic design is based on the pure elements of LIFE: air, fire, earth and water. Each essential LIFE element is embedded into the picnic experience:
PICNIC BY DESIGN 2014:
Farm-chic represents the wheelbarrow to table/picnic experience. The mood will be set with reclaimed oak, sponsor Robert Allen fabrics and Firefly LED lighting.
PICNIC BY DESIGN 2015:
The basket transformed into a boom-box…aka The Basket of Beats
Tiago Fonseca of Five Star Millwork and Michele Alfano
Tiago Fonseca of Five Star Millwork , Cindy Allen, Editor of Interior Design Magazine and Michele Alfano
PICNIC BY DESIGN 2016:
The basket was the shape of a molecule and its contents had a cosmos feel. Astronomers and researchers are looking for answers from the universe beyond and for the cure of AIDS. The molecule stands as a beacon of hope!
Michele Alfano and Tiago Fonseca of Five Star Millwork . Thank you Tiago, you make all my ideas come to life. You are the best partner in crime! xo