It's all for chair-ity

By Staff
Young artist part of annual event
Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Hartselle Enquirer
Brittany Grammer hopes some lucky bidder will be sitting pretty in her one-of-a-kind "A Penny for Your Thoughts" chair at the Volunteer Center of Morgan County's Sweet CHAIR-ity Auction next month.
Brittany, a junior at Hartselle High School, volunteered to design a chair for the annual event after her mother, Janie, read about the opportunity in the newspaper.
"She has earned the Presidential Gold Award five years for her numerous volunteer hours," Janie said. "But this is an unusual effort."
The Volunteer Center provided the chair, but Brittany had to devise a design to make the chair unique.
"I wasn't quite sure what to do with the chair at first," Brittany admitted. "But Mom suggested covering the seat with pennies. I had a bunch of old nail polish that I really don't use much anymore, so I decided to use it to paint each penny different. A bunch of my friends and my family have painted some of the pennies, so that has made it really special."
Brittany also used nail polish to accentuate the chair's ornate floral design at the top of the backrest.
Framed within the bouquet, Brittany scrolled "A Penny for Your Thoughts" in metallic silver to match the nail polish and the lightly pink tinted glaze she placed on the chair.
Brittany worked on her intricate chair design and painting the 450-500 pennies to cover the chair seat for about a week.
"I really like how it has turned out," Brittany said. "I've always enjoyed art and having the chance to be creative. I have many of my other art projects displayed in my room."
Brittany believes she inherited much of her artistic ability from her grandfather, local artist Scott Grammer.
"He has always encouraged me and my sisters to be artistic," Brittany said. "Although I'm not taking any art classes at school right now, I still enjoy art as a pastime and stress reliever."
In her spare time, Brittany cheers for the high school wrestling team, teaches vacation Bible school, plays soccer, participates in color guard, and is active in her sorority, Delta Sigma Phi, where she gets many opportunities to volunteer. Brittany's chair is one of several designed by Hartselle artists that will be available for purchase at the Volunteer Center of Morgan County's Sweet CHAIR-ity Auction, Saturday, Nov. 1, 6:30-9:30 p.m., at Decatur Country Club.
Sweet CHAIR-ity Auction
The Volunteer Center of Morgan County Sweet CHAIR-ity auction will be held Saturday, Nov. 1, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Decatur Country Club, featuring live and silent auctions of uniquely designed chairs and portraits of chairs.
"We have received everything from a painted potty chair to beautiful, beautiful paintings of chairs," Mary K. Braddock, Volunteer Center director, said.
For more information about the event, call 355-8628.
Local artists participating in the event include:
Mavis Stephens
Betty Gottler (Van Gough Print)
Gayle Strider
Ann Tucker
Slate Gallery &Framing
Mitch Howell Coon