The art vanguard gathered at Il Bacio Restaurant & Lounge last night for Artopia 2011, a stylish kaleidoscope of South Florida's culture and fashion scene. Outside on the lush courtyard, 12 MasterMinds finalists displayed their art, guests indulged on decadent crème brulée and sipped Zywiec beer and cucumber-infused Hendrick's Gin, and DJ Brett the Hitman provided the high-energy soundtrack that set the tone for the evening. Inside the Red Room, body-paint split artist Erin Barylski, as seen on America's Got Talent, flipped her paint-covered body onto a large floor spread that would become her rainbow-colored canvas. Meanwhile, chiseled Butlers in the Buff made their rounds through the crowd, offering guests an eyeful of their shirtless physiques as well as trays of hors d'œuvres from Prime and Il Bacio.
While all of this was going on, Gab was backstage and down the street at Naked Hair Salon, busily directing the festivities and assisting the models, who were having their hair styled with signature avant garde creations, bohemian waves, braids, and the evening's defining free-flowing texture. When showtime rolled around, the models were styled to perfection, taking to the runway in globally inspired Charli Girls fashions: collar bone-grazing feather earrings, flowing dresses, bikinis, and tribal accessories.
Check out our behind-the-scenes photos from Artopia 2011, presented by The Gab Group and New Times Broward Palm Beach:
Special thanks to Artopia 2011 sponsors, Il Bacio Restaurant & Lounge, PRIME Delray, Naked Hair Salon, Charli Girls, The Electric Experience, and Zywiec Original Beer.
