Another Day, Another Bench

Here is another bench I've found in town, ready for the auction to benefit the Red Cross. This one is decorated with scenes of the Beatles and their songs. Interesting look for someone's garden....

Bench for Sale

For the last several years, the American Red Cross has been having a unique fundraiser. It started with fish, then sailboats and bears, and now benches. These benches have been decorated by local artists and are placed around Northern Michigan before the auction. The auction proceeds will benefit the Red Cross and the work they do here. One of my favorites was a fish that had been painted to look like Monet's "Water Lilies". Every artist does it own design, all that is the same is the base that they have to work with. It will be fun to try and find more of these in the coming weeks before the auction.

Everyday Art

Here in Petoskey there is a large art community. A few years ago, the Red Cross did a fundraiser where they had local artists paint fish and then sold them at auction to raise money. It was very successful, so they've gone on to do elephants and sailboats as well. This elephant is on display in the children's section of the Petoskey library, having been purchased by a downtown store. Before the auction, they are scattered all over the towns in the this area for a few months, some as far as 30 miles away. Then they are brought together a few days before the auction so people can peruse them. One of my favorites was a fish that had scenes of Italy painted on it; Michaelangelo's Sistene Chapel scene with God and Adam, the Mouth of Truth, and other things unique to Italy. An artist I know also designed a sailboat covered in mosaic glass. Very beautiful! We are very blessed to have so many artists in this area!