In 1997, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) partnered with two notable California-based artists—photographer Kevin Lynch and designer Jon Planas—to create its annual holiday card collection. This collaboration brought together creative talents deeply connected to the state’s cultural and entertainment landscape, giving the fundraiser both artistic prestige and broad public appeal.
The holiday cards served a dual purpose: they functioned not only as seasonal greetings but also as a meaningful fundraising vehicle. All proceeds from the cards directly supported AHF’s mission of providing medical care and essential services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Each purchase included a personalized touch: AHF volunteers would custom-print a message chosen by the donor, along with a note informing the recipient that a contribution had been made to AHF in their name. This made the cards both a thoughtful gift and a gesture of advocacy.
Jon Planas brought a distinguished design sensibility to the project. Celebrated for his innovative wearable art, he had also been honored for his design of a prominent Absolut Vodka billboard on the Sunset Strip, a landmark achievement within the advertising and art communities. Photographer Kevin Lynch contributed a strong visual perspective shaped by his earlier work on the well-known photography book The Red Couch, which documented diverse individuals united by a single traveling red sofa—a project noted for its cultural breadth and humanistic tone.
Together, Planas and Lynch helped elevate the 1997 AHF holiday cards beyond typical charity merchandise, transforming them into collectible pieces that reflected artistic excellence while advancing a critical public-health cause.
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