2012 Charming Chair to Benefit the Hollister Downtown Association

Everybody is cutting costs these days. And I was especially ruthless with my budget this year. But when it came time to paying my membership dues for the Hollister Downtown Association, I was happy to write the check.  These folks are a tremendous force in our community. They do more than revitalize downtown, they revitalize the entire town!

Each year, the Hollister Downtown Association  or HDA as we call it here, hosts a Charming Chairs Event to benefit the association. Members of the community decorate a chair and then we auction them off at the Open Studio Preview Exhibit.

This year I found my chair at the Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Thrift Shop for $8.00. Funds raised from the thrift shop go back to the hospital to raise funds for hospital equipment, refurbishment of patient areas and scholarships for medically related studies. Now that’ s just cool!

I was looking for an “interesting” chair, and one with an easy surface to decorate. This one fit the bill.

Thrift Shop Chair

First thing I did was scrub the chair with soap and water . (It had a good varnish on it ,so the water did not hurt the wood.) Then I gave it a couple of base coats of black Krylon Fusion paint. It’s made to adhere to almost anything and no sanding is required!

Base Coat and New Leather Seat Cover

I didn’t notice that the seat needed to be recovered until I washed the vinyl. Fortunately, I found a scrap piece of leather in my fabric remnant drawer that was just big enough to recover cover the seat.

Recover Seat with Leather

I only had one  weekend to decorate this chair so I opted not to hand paint the decorations this year.

Instead, I photocopied a royalty free Art Nouveau drawing that I downloaded from the internet, and decoupaged it on the front and back of the chair. 

Decoupaged Back

Next I aged the finish with a wash of burnt sienna acrylic. And added metallic puff paint accents. I know, I know, I just had to add a bit of paint somewhere!

Apply Sienna Acrylic

I let it dry overnight and then applied a coat of spray varnish.

This was a really fun project and it feels great that I can help both the Hollister Downtown Association and Hazel Hawkins Hospital by recycling this discarded item.

Finished Art Nouveau Charming Chair

I love how it turned out and may bid on it myself!

Finished Art Nouveau Charming Chair Back

Detail Rail Charming Chair

Detail Back Charming Chair

To see last years Charming Chairs visit these posts:

http://shannongrissom.info/2011/art/charming-chairs-moon/

http://shannongrissom.info/2011/art/charming-chairssun/

Related posts:

1. Charming Chairs Silent Auction And Open Studio Preview Exhibit 4/13/12 The Hollister Downtown Association, San Benito Arts Council, and Blak Sage Gallery are pleased to present…. Art Exposed in Downtown...
2. Charming Chairs~Sun I loved painting this Sun Stool for the Hollister Downtown Association’s Charming Chairs and Quilt Exhibit.  (All proceeds to benefit...
3. Shop Downtown Hollister   We have a beautiful downtown with fabulous shops. I’m so happy that my studio is in such great company!...
4. Charming Chairs ~ Moon First the Sun now the Moon. Here’s the companion piece for the Hollister Downtown Association’s Charming Chairs and Quilt Exhibit. ...
5. 2012 Open Studio Tour~ Save The Dates It’s that time of year again, when the artists of San Benito County share their  heartwork with the public! Please...