For the first time, the 10 chairs that will be auctioned off at the Best Seat in the House Auction – A Chair-ity Fundraiser event, were displayed to the public on Saturday, February 16 at the Gulfport Art Walk. The hand-painted seats will be making appearances around Gulfport until the live fundraiser on Saturday, March 16.The 10 colorful Adirondack chairs that lined the sidewalk during the Gulfport Art Walk on Saturday, February 16 drew crowds throughout the 6 to 10 p.m. event.
For good reason.
In just one month, all 10 of the custom-painted seats created by local artists will be live auctioned at the first-ever Best Seat in the House Auction – A Chair-ity Fundraiser.
“I wanted to do just eight chairs, and we asked 10 local artists thinking that not everyone would be able to do it,” said Karen Love, a coordinator for Best Seat in the House. “They all said yes, and that’s how dedicated our artists are.”
All funds collected at the Saturday, March 16 auction will go to the Gulfport Senior Center Foundation.
“I think they are all marvelous,” said Beverly Newcomb, the director of the Senior Center Foundation. “We gave these artists plain white chairs and couldn’t wait to see what they came up with.”
Mermaids and tropical themes adorn many of the chairs, and each was completed by a local Gulfport artist.
Margo Dalgetty and Lisa Taylor are the exception, considering they collaborated on the project.
“We both have that Zen lifestyle,” said Margo Dalgetty, who collaborated with Lisa Taylor on their Buddha chair design. “You can tell who did each chair just by being familiar with Gulfport artists’ work.”
Those who missed the first showing of the chairs can check out the seating selections at The Pink Flamingo Home Tour on Saturday, March 2, which will feature homes in the neighborhoods west of Beach Boulevard and south of Gulfport Boulevard.
According to Love, each chair will also be featured in different Gulfport businesses throughout the next month.
“Every chair here has been listed as someone’s favorite,” Love said.
