PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Wintergreen Arts Center takes part each year in the Rotary Auction, but this year they plan to put a different spin on the event.
The WAC has issued a call to creative people of the community for “chair-ity.”
“That’s right, we are collecting chairs. Big chairs, small chairs, chairs made of wood, metal, plastic or even old tractor parts,” said Dione Skigdel, arts center manager.
Aspiring chair artists are encouraged either to take a specimen they have at home or create one from scratch, and put their own artistic flair to it.
“If you feel that you are creative enough to create or decorate a chair, we would love to see it at the Wintergreen Arts Center,” said Skidgel. “The only specifications for this project are that your chair must be fun, functional and artistic.”
All created or decorated chairs should be submitted to WAC no later than Oct. 1. Each piece will be photographed and catalogued, and will become part of a display which will be featured at Wintergreen through the month of November. The finished pieces will then go up for bid during the televised Rotary Auction in early December.
“Art doesn’t translate well on TV,” Skidgel explained, “so this way we can put everything up for the entire month of November so that people are able to view them in person.”
Those who want to participate, but don’t feel inspired to craft a piece themselves, can still contribute to the event.
“If people feel that they really don’t have the artistic knack, but if they have an older chair that they want to donate, we have been taking in chairs,” Skidgel said. “And, if there is an artist interested in decorating a chair, and they don’t have one at home, we will have some available. So it works both ways.”
A special reception will kick off the chair display during the Nov. 6 First Friday Art Walk, from 6-8 p.m.
“This will be open to the public. We welcome all of the artists, of course, but we also want the community to come so they can preview the chairs and see them up close and personal — touch them, sit in them,” added Skidgel.
For further information about the project, call Wintergreen at 762-3576.
