SELKIRK—While a chair is a common piece of household furniture, it can often be the place where ideas take shape and creativity begins. An innovative partnership between Haldimand Museums and the Grade 12 Art Class at Dunnville Secondary School (DSS) has provided student artists the opportunity to transform an ordinary wooden chair into an inspired work of art and preserve a piece of Haldimand history too.
The “We Chair-ish You In Haldimand County” exhibit at the Wilson MacDonald Memorial School Museum (WMMSM) is described as featuring “repurposed wooden chairs with unique designs produced by talented young art students.”
SELKIRK—Pictured (l-r) is Sarah Sibthorpe, DSS art teacher; Dana Stavinga, curator, WMMSM; Anne Unyi, Supervisor of Heritage and Culture, Haldimand County; Katrina Schmitz, Manager, Community Development and Partnerships, Haldimand County; and Geneva Gillis, Curator, Cayuga Heritage Centre. They are holding the chairs of Aero (Grade 9); Jade (Grade 11), Georgia Montero (Grade 12); Isaac Dowd (Grade 12). 
Ciara Geerlinks’ chair combines her love of racing and Vincent van Gogh. She chose van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” because “I wanted a nice background.” 
Jack Priestman’s image of Joan of Arc was inspired by Parisian artist Albert Lynch. He said, “Joan of Arc is a saint so I added the sun as a representation of God watching over her.” 
Tianna McIntee painted two chairs in the style of Jackson Pollock. “I really like splatter painting,” she said. “It’s fun to do, it gets my emotions out. These chairs represent the emotions and feeling of the brain.” 
Raistlyn Potter’s chair was inspired by Theo van Doesberg’s Composition 7. He said, “I gave the geometric pieces a softer look while keeping the colour of the original.” 
Surrealism was the style of choice for student Kaya Hamilton on her chair. She is particularly drawn to the art of Sofia Fotiadou, which often features eyes. 
eah Snyder, WMMSM Educator, displayed chairs painted by students Alisha Hiebert (left), inspired by Bob Ross, and Alyshia Kenyon (right), inspired by Rene Magritte. 
Above, DSS art teacher Sarah Sibthorpe showed her Vincent van Gogh inspired chair at left, alongside student Eva McDonald’s chair inspired by Claude Monet.
The chairs used were donated to the museum by The Haldimand Choralairs, the popular choir that entertained audiences for almost six decades.
“It’s a great partnership to be able to have these youth come out and be involved,” said Dana Stavinga, Curator at WMMSM. She explained that the students were instructed to pick an artist who inspires them and paint a chair in that style while “putting their own spin on it.”
According to DSS art teacher Sarah Sibthorpe, the students worked on the project for a month and a half. She said, “They’ve been working very hard and were very diligent.”
The Chair-ish artists are primarily Grade 12 students, along with two students from Grade 9 and Grade 11 who volunteered to paint chairs.
The class visited WMMSM on May 17 to tour the museum, view their chairs on display, and meet the public. Sibthorpe said, “It’s great for the students, giving them experience giving back to the community. They see the difference that volunteering can make…. I believe they will take that foward into the future. I’m so proud of them and their hard work and incredible pieces.”
The exhibit of those incredible pieces at the WMMSM will run until June 14. The chairs will be sold in a live auction at the museum on June 19 beginning at 6 p.m. Potential buyers unable to attend the auction can place a reserve bid on a chair. All proceeds go toward future exhibition and program development at Haldimand Museums.
If anyone has solid wooden chairs they wish to donate for this ongoing project, they can be dropped off during museum operating hours. The WMMSM is located at 3513 Rainham Road, Selkirk. For more information call 905-776-3319 or email museums@haldimandcounty.on.ca.
