Local businesses flaunt their art skills for a good cause

Inclusion Foothills’ “Charitable Chairs” has returned for its fourth year.

The annual event sees a number of Foothills businesses painting Adirondack chairs which are then raffled off, with proceeds going to Inclusion Foothills programs.

Funds raised this year will also be matched up to 50 per cent by Birdies for Kids.

Inclusion Foothills’ Opportunities Coordinator Kelly Smit says it’s proven to be pretty popular.

“We have had businesses from Okotoks, High River, Diamond Valley, and Nanton that all participate. It’s a great opportunity to partner with businesses, talk about who we are and what we do, and have a really neat souvenir for people to take home and enjoy for years to come.”

Participating businesses are given free rein in terms of their designs, which makes for an eclectic mix.

This year’s event includes 13 chairs.

Among the contributors is High River-based artist Russell Thomas, whose “Bear Hug” chair is his second contribution to Charitable Chairs.

He initially got involved in the event in 2022 when he contributed a chair with a wolf design.

“That was a great success, I think it was one of the first chairs to sell out of raffle tickets, and it sparked this whole new idea as an artist of doing original paintings on Muskoka chairs, in fact, that season I did several bear chairs, I did a moose chair, and it was a fun deviation. I couldn’t help last year because I was in the middle of a move, but I was so excited to do it again,” says Thomas.

Russell Thomas and his Wolf Chair, which was his contribution to Charitable Chairs in 2022 (File Photo)

Since Thomas’ Birdsong Studio isn’t currently open, his Bear Hug chair is being displayed at High River Ward Tirecraft.

Among the newcomers to Charitable Chairs are Steve and Gina Smith, the owners of Retro Oasis Escape Rooms and Arcade.

Being inclusive employers themselves, they’ve been eager to get involved.

“We heard about them last year, but it was way too late to sneak in an entry, so we made a note to reach out this year and get ourselves in the mix,” says Steve.

In true form, the Smiths’ chair is Pac-Man-themed, with renditions of the iconic labyrinth and arcade sprites on the chair’s front, back, and arms.

A closer look at Retro Oasis' "They Meet" chair.

Steve took care of the blue base coat, while Gina rendered the characters and maze with meticulous detail.

“I’m inherently a creative person. I do a lot of the prop-building for our escape rooms… So, I made a stencil on the Cricut, painted that, then went in and did the hand detailing, and it turned out pretty good,” Gina explains.

All of the designs can be seen on the Inclusion Foothills Charitable Chairs Facebook page, where links to purchase tickets can also be seen.

Tickets are also available at each of the participating businesses, as well as the Okotoks and High River farmers markets.

The draw will take place on July 25 at the High River Farmers Market.