INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Newfields held its second annual New Year’s Eve fundraising Gala heading into 2025 to raise money and give guests a glamourous end-of-the-year celebration.

The Tuesday night event was called “Midnight: Melt into the Moment” and was theme for Spanish artist Salvador Dalí.

Jody DeFord took the theme seriously and came in an outfit inspired by Dalí’s painting called “The Persistence of Memory,” which features melting clocks.

She explained her outfit choice and how she became a living piece of artwork at this party hosted at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Question: Tell me, how did you come up with this outfit and work in that concept?

Answer: “Well, I was here last year and it was a fantastic event. The theme was Starry Night and I knew it was going to be Dalí in THE LUME and ‘Melt into the Moment’ [themed]. And I love surrealism and I can’t resist a theme so the melting clocks seemed like a natural way to go and the disco ball, sort of the ball drop at midnight.”

Q: How did the construction of this outfit come about? It doesn’t look easy.

A: “So the dress, I had been waiting for the perfect place to wear it. And the hat, I actually made. I added the clock and the purse, I added the clock. And I wanted to add a pop of color and a little more surrealism so I added the blue morpho butterflies so they sorta look like they’re flying out from underneath the gown.”

Q: For people that do not know Salvador Dalí and his art tell us how this works that concept in.

A: “Salvador Dalí is one of the most famous surrealist painters so he took the stuff of dreams, the wildest things in your imagination, elephants with giraffe legs, butterflies coming out of trees, and pirate ships and he also has a very famous painting called ‘The The Persistence of Memory’ and there is a clock that is melting onto the desert floor and this is an homage to the melting clock.”

Q: You came last year, you’re back again this year. What brought you back?

A: “It was a fabulous time last year. The band is great, the food, the bars, everyone really dressed up and got into the spirit of the evening and it was just a unique thing to do. One of my favorite things is all of the galleries are open so if you need a little break from the party scene you can actually wander around and take in all the art and there is a wonderful museum to take in.”

Q: Now you said you came to last year’s event. I am sure everyone is wondering, how did you dress for that? Can you tell us a little bit about your outfit?

A: “Last year’s dress, it weighed around 17 pounds, it was very heavy. It was, Starry Night was the theme, it was very colorful and beaded in blues and golds and reds and I wore a big headpiece with a clock but not a melting clock last year. So it was a fun outfit to wear but I was really excited about this year’s.”

Newfields is the home of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The Newfields website said, “The galleries are surrounded by gardens, water features, over a hundred acres of woodland filled with surprise and beauty. 

A description of the event from the Newfields website:

“The clock is ticking on 2024. Melt the year away and welcome 2025 at Midnight, the surrealist soiree of the season in the heart of Newfields. The second annual New Year’s Eve party themed ‘Melt into the Moment’ is back with a twisted take on an evening of glitz, glamour, live music, and high spirits. Don your most elegant evening wear with a dash of inspiration from Salvador Dalí’s wild and wonderful imagination.

“Enjoy chef-specialty light bites and an open bar featuring fantastic cocktails and mocktails. Twirl and whirl on the dance floor to Chicago’s best party band, The Rhythm Rockets, and their new front woman, Miss Lou. The surreal celebration includes THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Dalí Alive, all four floors of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and admission to Winterlights presented by Bank of America. When the clock strikes midnight, be ready for a dreamy moment in Pulliam Family Great Hall.

“For guests looking to dream big, the Midnight Magic ticket holders will get early entry at 8 PM, special access to two lounges, one in THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Dalí Alive with a private bar and hors d’oeuvres, as well as another in the exclusive Clowes Pavilion where you’ll enjoy a Midnight spectacle on the digital ceiling. You will also receive enhanced party-favors and a souvenir wristband.”