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Artists turn chairs into art to benefit Vinton History Museum

Chair-ity fundraising event for Vinton History Museum ends Oct. 27 at 5 p.m.

VINTON, Va. – Tuesday is the last day to bid at an auction dedicated to supporting a Vinton staple.

Vinton History Museum is hosting a historic chair-ity auction, but the bids aren’t for your ordinary chair.

Eleven artists hand-painted chairs from the old William Byrd High School. Each art piece has its own theme anywhere from Cat in the Hat to a detailed painting of the parkway bridge.

View “Beyond the Parkway Bridge” by Mary Beth Layman at 103 E. Lee Ave. Thank you George Lester for displaying an art...

Posted by Vinton History Museum on Thursday, October 22, 2020

For several weeks chairs were on display at businesses across town.

The point is to support a place preserving the town’s past while celebrating what it is present day.

“Definitely has (a) Vinton connection through and through. The chairs coming from the old William Byrd High School which is iconic to the Vinton community and then all of the artists pretty much have a Vinton connection,” said Mary Beth Layman, program chair at the museum.

Vinton History Museum is mainly run by volunteers. Usually, the museum hosts benefit yard sales in the spring and fall that bring about $2,000 but due to the pandemic, they didn’t happen this year.

The museum did receive CARES Act funds but the plan is for this auction to help fill what’s left of the gap.

“This helps to sustain the programs of the Vinton History Museum, helps with our (one) part-time employee we have and a good bridge this year for making sure we’re solid in our finances,” said Layman.

If you would like to put in a bid click here.


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