“Camouflage Your Cooler” – New Addition to Popular Fundraiser

Utica, N.Y. - Sculpture Space will host its 19th CHAIRity auction at its Utica studio on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 4 to 8 p.m. New to the auction this year will be “cooler art,” artistically fabricated and decorated metal armatures that camouflage the bottle portion of a standard water cooler. The armatures have been donated by Waterbaskets. As has been done for the last 18 years, inventively altered, embellished or deconstructed chairs and other furniture created by local and nationally recognized artists will be auctioned along with the cooler art. The Earth Day collection, a special group of chairs sculpted entirely from materials donated by Empire Recycling, will also be auctioned. Historically, these chairs have been among the most popular auction items.

CHAIRity includes both a live and silent auction. The silent auction includes items and services donated by local businesses. All profits support Sculpture Space’s acclaimed residency program for sculptors.

The auction and party have traditionally attracted between 200 and 300 attendees including those who want to see and buy unique art, art appreciators and collectors, and those who want simply to enjoy a great party. Personal bidders will be available to those who wish to bid on art but who cannot attend. Artwork may be viewed online prior to the auction at www.sculpturespace.org. The evening’s auctioneer is Bernie Brzostek.

Guests can preview the artwork while enjoying food and drink from 4 to 6 p.m. The live auction will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets to the event are priced at $30 before the event or $35 at the door and can be purchased by calling 315-724-8381 or e-mailing info@sculpturespace.org. The event is held at Sculpture Space at 12 Gates Street, just off Whitesboro Street on the edge of the Varick Street neighborhood. [directions]

CHAIRity also features an Endowed Sculpture, seating or other work created by a CHAIRity artist specifically for a donor who contributes $3,500 or more to the organization. The donor’s special chair is unveiled at CHAIRity. Croyle Inc. & Swank Architecture is sponsoring an Endowed Sculpture this year.

CHAIRity Co-Chairs are Lisa DeFrees and Vickie Zacek, who also serve on the Sculpture Space board of directors.

Sculpture Space, which just celebrated its 31st anniversary, is an international artist-in-residence center that has been serving professional artists whose focus is sculpture. The program provides each artist with technical support, housing, 24-hour studio access and a materials and living stipend. On a regular basis, the community is invited to view the artists’ works and learn about their processes. Tours of the studios are offered. Works created at Sculpture Space are exhibited in sculpture parks, museums and galleries around the world. Sculpture Space is a member of the New York State Artists Workspace Consortium and the Alliance of Artists Communities. Its programs are in part made possible with support from the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For additional information please call 315-724-8381, e-mail info@sculpturespace.org, or visit www.sculpturespace.org.