Arts & Entertainment

Rocking Chairs Roll Into Downtown La Grange

Brightly painted rocking chairs for the La Grange Business Association's annual summer art display series appear in downtown La Grange.

“The kids at McClure Junior High did a great job for us. Our rain barrel was in the Top 20 last year, and we think we’ll be in the top this year, too,” said Sharon Condon, business manager for  orthodontics in La Grange, as she looked at the company’s rocking chair in front of First National Bank of La Grange Thursday.

“I like it when the kids do stuff, and they really did an amazing job,” she added.

Residents of La Grange have likely already seen the rocking chairs popping up all around town as part of the La Grange Business Association's 2011 Summer Sidewalk Art Exhibition: Rocking Chairs. On a Thursday stroll down Calendar Avenue and La Grange Road, residents and shoppers could be seen enjoying the chairs as well—leisurely reclining or sitting together enjoying that warm night air.

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As residents enjoyed and admired the chairs downtown, business owners and artists were meeting at , 620 W. Burlington Ave., for a meet-and-greet to launch the La Grange Business Association’s 5th annual summer fund-raising drive and art display, this year called . 

What were rain barrels last year have turned into some rockin’ chairs this year. A total of 52 chairs dot La Grange, colorfully painted to reflect the artists' motivations and the influence of local businesses and nonprofits.

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“We decided to stick with one major theme this year,” said Charlene Vickery, who heads the summer art project. The La Grange Rocks event will follow with similarly themed events such as the La Grange Rocks Youth 5K Run, the La Grange Rocks Art Auction and, in October, Rocktoberfest.

Vickery said rocking chairs were chosen as the artistic canvas this year to provide a place for residents and shoppers to rest this summer, and with that, hopefully spend a little more time taking in the downtown atmosphere. Past years have featured rain barrels, elephants, Adirondack chairs and art easels.

Sponsoring businesses purchase a chair and then find and pay a local artist who creates their own theme.

The chairs will be auctioned off Sept. 8, and the nonprofit groups that designed their chairs will get the money raised. For one local nonprofit—Community Support Service (CSS), which provides assistance for people with developmental disabilities—the funds will be greatly appreciated. They are trying to deal with a cut in state funding.

“We’re looking for funding all the time to provide additional sources of support for the organization,” said Kathie Schiffman, CSS director of development and marketing.

For the chair designed by CSS, the organization looked to its own for creative inspiration. Cathy Wright of Lyons and Cindy Zajeka of Countryside, both receive support from CSS and are regular participants in their events. The two artists collaborated on the rocking chair together, which features a brightly colored dog—modeled after a painting by Wright.

“We worked on the chair together, and we had a lot of fun doing it,” said Wright, who is already prepared to participate next year. The two friends say they work well together, and enjoyed collaborating on the project.

“If you’re looking for me, look for her at the same time,” Zajeka added, attributing their closeness to completing the chair so successfully.

Another rocking chair artist, Becky Cortez, used her medium to show off artwork in the McKinnon Gallery collection at Park Junior High for the Salt Creek American Art Foundation.

“I love landscape and animals,” Cortez said of subjects she looks to for inspiration. “I chose two paintings out of the gallery to exhibit on the chair and recreated them.”

Vickery said she was pleased with the success of the La Grange art display once again.

“People aren’t just trying to hawk their own businesses,” Vickery said. “They’re being really creative with the designs, and that’s what sells the chairs.”

Vickery also added that support from the village and local businesses made the event possible once again. The Department of Public Works set up and secured all the chairs around the village; Douglas Auto Body donated its services to coat each chair for protection; and First National Bank of La Grange and Vulcan Materials Company also donated support.

One of the most exciting aspects of this year’s art display and auction will be the technology upgrade, Vickery said. Each chair will feature the business or organization’s name, the name of the artist and a QR code. A QR code is a small square made up of smaller square that works like a bar code.

Residents can use their smart phones to scan the code by taking a picture of it, which will automatically direct them to the La Grange Business Association's Facebook page, where residents can vote for their favorite chair.

Take a look at our La Grange Rocks photo gallery .


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