Chair auction to help grandmothers in Africa
Event to raise funds for grandmothers looking after children orphaned by AIDS
Regina volunteer group Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers is auctioning off refurbished chairs to raise money for grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa.
On June 9, “A Chair Affair” will see the works of nearly 50 artists — all of which incorporate the idea of chairs in some way — auctioned off. All proceeds will go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. This campaign supports grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa raising their grandchildren who have been orphaned by AIDS.
Susan Holmes, member of Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers and an organizer of “The Chair Affair,” said the campaign helps these grandmothers with self-sufficiency “so it’s supporting women who are supporting kids.”
Many artists took an old wooden chair and turned it into a functional work of art. Others incorporated the theme of chairs into their pieces.
This is the first year this event has been held. As to why the event is focused on chairs, Holmes said she wasn’t entirely sure.
“It was just an idea that came up and as the artists and things began working with it, a lot of them related to chairs,” she said. “People said, ‘Well, grandmothers sit in rocking chairs and grandmothers hold children in chairs,’ that kind of thing.
“I don’t think we had put any symbolism with it, but as the artists began working on it, more and more of these pictures (came) of somebody holding a child.”
Nikki Jacquin, one of the artists contributing to “A Chair Affair,” has been painting portraits for years, with a particular focus on childhood scenes.
“I’m aware of the issue of grandparents having to support their ( grand)children who are orphaned because of AIDS in Africa,” said Jacquin.
“Rocking chairs are a sign of maybe more senior age, and then also nurturing children as you read books or rock them to sleep and comfort them.”
Jacquin said her chair was inspired by her painting tours to Cuba and includes repeated geometric shapes, bold patterns of colour and metallic leaf.
“I decided, with the winged design of it, I’d incorporate dragonflies somehow in it and it just kind of evolved as I was working on it. I had one plan and it kind of took off on another direction,” she said.
Holmes said using objects that were already in the community was important to Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers, and that she’s been astounded at the creativity the artists have used in bringing new life to old chairs or in creating chair-themed artwork.
“From the inception when we had these kind of rickety, wooden chairs, we got them all ready for the artists and what they ’ve ( brought) back are kind of unrecognizable from what we sent out,” she said.
“A Chair Affair” will take place Saturday, June 9 at the MacKenzie Art Gallery’s Agra Torchinsky Salon, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the live auction beginning at 7:30 p.m.
A silent auction will be running all evening. For tickets, go to www. picatic.com and search for the event or call 306-525-4067.