An Event For Those Who

‘CHAIRish’ Art

By Nancy K. Crevier

Two years ago, the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council invited the public to take part in a “bear hunt” that had visitors to the northwestern part of the state seeking out artistically rendered fiberglass and resin bear sculptures placed in various businesses. “The Bear Affair” supported art education organizations through the proceeds of an auction selling off the artists’ bears. This year, the council has elicited the talents of artists for a “CHAIRish the Arts” event, and features the artwork of two area residents among the nearly 100 artists participating.

Carol Smith contributed “Bare Bear,” a five-and-a-half-foot-tall hand painted grizzly bear, to “The Bear Affair,” in 2007 — the perfect venue for the wife of Wayne “Grizzly Woodsmith” Smith, known for his realistic carvings of bears and other wildlife subjects. Ms Smith is pleased take part once again in the fundraising efforts to support art education with her donations of two pieces, “A Chair for Graciella” and “Draco’s Perch.”

“Draco’s Perch” is a wood-burned image of a dragon on a rectangular stool top, enhanced with a wash of acrylic paint. “There is also a bit of gold gleaming on the red and iridescence on the wings,” said Ms Smith. “At the last minute, I thought it still needed something else, so I burned the Celtic braid around the edge of the top,” she added.

 “A Chair for Graciella” is a tiny, six-inch-tall creation made of brass strips and beads and placed on a wooden base. “The intention was for it to be a ‘fairy’ chair for a fairy named ‘Graciella,’” Ms Smith said, which is what her granddaughter Grace is sometimes called.

 “CHAIRish the Arts” is the first time that Robert Rabinowitz of Sandy Hook has taken part in a regionwide art show. An IBM employee and musician/composer, Mr Rabinowitz has only recently become involved in decoupage art, the medium he chose to decorate his entry, “Cultural Revolution vs Urban Decay.”

“I had entered a piece in the SCAN show this year, and another artist there told me about the chair event,” said Mr Rabinowitz. It seemed like a good outlet for his hobby, which is also somewhat a passion, he admitted.

Using cutouts from magazines, he adhered the pieces to a wooden chair using the sealer/glue product Mod Podge, and finished it with a clear lacquer. The process allows images to overlap, yet show through each layer.

“The name relates to the images that came from advertising in magazines, which is pervasive,” explained Mr Rabinowitz.

All of the finished chairs have been on display since midsummer at businesses in towns around the northwest corner of the state. They will be displayed through October 14. On October 17 the chairs will be auctioned off at Mohawk Mountain Ski Lodge in Cornwall. “Draco’s Chair” is on display at the Toymaker’s Café in Falls Village, and “A Chair for Graciella” can be seen at the Goshen Public Library. “Cultural Revolution vs Urban Decay” is at Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Winsted.

All of the chairs can be viewed at chairishthearts.org.

State residents are encouraged to discover the rolling hills, businesses, and the art of northwestern Connecticut through the “CHAIRish the Arts” event. An additional attraction is that each art chair on the tour has a trivia question displayed with it. By answering the questions on the Tour de Chair entry form included on the Tour de Chair map available at each display, or available online at chairishthearts.org, participants are entered in a drawing to win prizes at the October 17 auction.

The more chairs visited and the more questions answered by October 14, the more chances there are to win. (Winners need not be present at the auction.)

Proceeds from the auction will benefit the After School Arts Program, The Arts Fund For Region One, and the Battell Arts Foundation.

For more information contact artsnwct.org or call the council at 860-618-0075.