Chair Display Location

Duncan Branch Library
2501 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

I wanted to have fun, and I wanted to make something fun! With some historical research, old pictures, found treasures, and patience this chair celebrates 250 years of Alexandria. What can you find on this chair? Use this piece as practice for finding the moments of joy—both big and small—in your everyday life. 

Artist Biography

Elizabeth Gearhart is a self-taught crafter and artist from Charleston, South Carolina. She has lived in the DMV for seven years and in Alexandria for the past three. Always one to DIY and collect memorabilia, her desire to create grew after college when she decided to spend less time in front of little screens. She explores mediums such as collage, embroidery, acrylic, and scrapbooking with multimedia. In recent years, a desire to produce less waste has led to projects born from completely second-hand materials found at thrift stores, estate sales, reuse centers, and even her building’s trash room. 
 
Her day job involves research rabbit holes that are ultimately not interesting to anyone but her. When she is not sprawled on the floor creating something out of junk, she enjoys spending time outside, birdwatching, hiking, and exercising. 

Chair Display Location

Del Ray Artisans
2704 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

Artwork Title: Castiel’s “I Love America” Chair 
 
I’m an avid animal lover and when I picked up my chair at Beatley Central Library I fell in love with the photo of Castiel the Library Cat. When I asked if he was around, Librarian Sara Severn kindly explained that Castiel was actually a flat cat (think Flat Stanley) but she would find him for me. I am extremely camera-shy but Castiel helped me with the initial required social media photo by starring in it while I attempted to lurk behind him. 
 
In honor of my friend Castiel, I’ve worked to create a mosaic wonderland representing love of our country. The blue stars and red hearts on the chair seat are composed of broken dinnerware, marbles, sparkling mirror chunks, recycled stained glass, and colorful glass globs. The connecting recycled white tiles, pulled together by gray grout, are designed to highlight the star and heart shapes and provide a uniform seating surface. Red, white, and blue painted color blocks celebrate the USA 250 theme and complement the mosaic seat. 
 
In homage to Castiel, our 6 cats have taken turns vetting the chair. While annoyed they’re forced to give up the extra seating, their grudging stamp of approval is reportedly pending. 

Artist Bio

Hello, my name is Joyce Wagner and I’ve been designing and creating whimsical, colorful, and fun mosaics for over 20 years. My business is called Reinvented Elegance because my goal is to make people smile by creating art pieces that reinvent as many things as possible along the way. Clearly, I love color and my motto has always been “the more colorful, the better!” I’m a long-time Alexandria resident and a member of Del Ray Artisans, where I display my work almost every month in juried art exhibits. I’ve also been fortunate to sell my work at many juried festivals and markets in the DC area. 
 
I delight in acquiring a variety of recycled bases for my mosaics, from discarded chairs and tables to tequila bottles and old teapots. I decorate these bases with recycled tiles and stained glass, chipped and broken dinnerware and ceramics, mirror shards, marbles, game pieces, river glass, seashells, and a wealth of other found and recycled items. I’ve been very fortunate  — and incredibly grateful! — to be the lucky recipient of many broken plates offered by my friends at Del Ray Artisans and my local Buy Nothing Group. 

Chair Display Location

Beatley Central Library
5005 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

"A seat for our bounty, our harvest"

America, first and foremost, is land. Prior to its colonization, that land was cultivated by the Indigenous people who called it home — long before the idea of America came to fruition. Over the last 250 years, Americans have learned to farm, harvest, and establish a robust and profoundly impactful agrarian economy and lifestyle. This system is steeped in a complex history of both profound struggle and impressive resilience. My chair explores America’s relationship to agriculture and the land and systems—both oppressive and enterprising— that have built our country. 
 
My chair is adorned by representations of America's most infamous and important crops. My goal was to transform the chair into a cornucopia, or a throne-like harvest. At its base are four hands holding sunflowers. These hands represent the people — both free and enslaved — whose lives were centered, changed, and defined by the act of cultivating the land. They are brushed in gold to appear almost relic-like. The hands reside at the base, holding up the chair and the harvest — reminding us that there is no America without its agriculture, and there is no agriculture without the people linked to it. 

Artist Bio

Matt Liptak is a mixed-media artist residing in Old Town, Alexandria. He works in digital mediums like photography and illustration while also blending hand-drawn and hand-fabricated elements into his work. Liptak holds a BFA in Fine Art Photographic Illustration from The Rochester Institute of Technology and is currently a resident artist at The Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria.   

Chair Display Location

Del Ray Artisans
2704 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

Since the signing of the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago, many people have gathered to build upon the foundation the document laid. Building up always takes both action and thought. This chair represents a place where someone can sit, read, think, and imagine a better tomorrow for us all. That thinking can be done in a library, a school, or a quiet corner of wherever home may be. My hope is that when this chair finds a new home, someone — while sitting curled up with a book — has the thoughts they will use to help the community perform the actions that will build the United States of America to a better place for us all. 

Artist Bio

Hi I’m Mal Jones, an artist, designer, and small business owner who has lived in the Alexandria area for over 20 years. To find a way to express creative ideas during a stressful time, I began painting abstract koi fish. In mythology, koi represent luck, change, imagination, and hope. Over two decades, I took part in shows throughout the area, but that ended during the COVID pandemic and a time of family caregiving. Recently, I've begun working again to create "art for all." This ethos focuses on making art that fits in homes of any size, as art should never just be for collectors and those with large salaries. I've worked primarily digitally for the past few years, so returning to paint feels like a homecoming. Find more of my work at maljones.com. 

Chair Display Location

Beatley Central Library
5005 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

I’ve always loved how people used to decorate their suitcases and trunks with stickers from all the places they’ve traveled to, and my chair is a modern version of that. I gathered areas of interest, neighborhoods, historical sites and key streets and designed “stickers” to decorate their chair with. I’m a born and raised Alexandrian and in my lifetime I’ve seen the city grow from being DC’s neighbor across the river to a destination in its own right, and the stickers I designed are reflective of that. I’m so proud of what my city has accomplished already and am excited to see what the future will bring! 

Artist Bio

I am a graphic designer and illustrator living and working in Alexandria. My specialties are typography, packaging design and logos (along with illustration) but these days I also create a lot of physical, handmade art as well, including watercolor paintings and miniature work. My inspirations include fashion, insects, food and history. I’m currently freelancing; recent client work includes logos and website work, and I’m looking for a permanent position. 

Chair Display Location

Local History/Special Collections Branch Library
717 Queen Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

The "Path to Freedom" Chair serves as a visual narrative of the arduous journey toward liberty and the complex dualities faced by African Americans during the Revolutionary War. The piece honors Alexandria-area Black patriots—John Pipsico, Benjamin Whitmore, William Lee, and Joseph Longdon—whose documented service remains a cornerstone of the city’s history. 
 
Centered on the 1776 maritime and mercantile economy, the design spotlights the Potomac waterfront, a landscape built and sustained by the labor of both enslaved and free Black individuals. Through a sophisticated blend of mixed media—including typography, graphic design, gold leaf, and laser-cut wood and upcycled cardboard cargo ship replicas—this chair transforms a functional object into a commemorative monument. These replicas specifically symbolize the vessels of the era that represented both the site of forced labor and the physical "path" to potential freedom. The work celebrates the resilience, service, and enduring pursuit of liberty that defined the African American experience in early Alexandria. 

Artist Bio

As a mixed media artist, I've always been drawn to creative expression, first through crafting and photography, and later discovering a passion for painting and drawing. My professional life as a graphic designer heavily influences my art, emphasizing visual communication and a command of diverse mediums. 
 
The opportunity to create "Jazzy Brown" for the 2005 "Wilmington Wonderland" public art exhibit was a pivotal moment. This 5-foot fiberglass snow-sculpture, named after and featuring Wilmington jazz legend Clifford Brown, allowed me to translate my design skills into a large-scale, three-dimensional form. Using paint and original sculptural elements, the piece celebrated local culture and connected my passion for visual art with the community. My work strives to be impactful and communicative, whether on a canvas or displayed on a city street. 

Chair Display Location

Torpedo Factory Art Center
105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

The most important thing to know about the No Kings chair is that no kings are represented among the playing card images used on the piece. While a royal flush hand is used on various surfaces, the kings are “redacted” in the hand. The face cards represented are derived from lyrics of Grateful Dead songs, as is the Royal Flush poker card hand. The second poker card hand depicted is the famed “Aces and Eights” hand (aka Dead Man’s Hand) that was alleged to be the card combination Wild Bill Hickok was holding when he was killed during a match. The Reverse/Design sides used on the chair emphasize patriotism and champion American manufacturing ingenuity and entrepreneurship. White space honors the women’s suffrage movement. There are seven jokers in various locations on the chair, which honor the American-invented card game Euchre as well as the rummy-variant card game Tonk, widely played in African American communities. Finally, the surname ‘Cohen’ as a playing card manufacturer acknowledges the contributions immigrants have made to our country throughout our history. 

Artist Bio

I am an avid woodworker and currently serve on the Boards of the Washington Woodworkers Guild and the DC Creative Crafts Council. I have taken watercolor and colored pencil classes at the Torpedo Factory and Smithsonian Institution respectively. 

Chair Display Location

UpCycle Creative Reuse Center
2397 S. Dove Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

Adorned Through Time: 250 Years of American Textiles and Jewelry 
 
The Take A Seat chair is designed as a timeline, built from 250 years of American textile and jewelry history. From the years following the American Revolution to the present, it examines how the items we wear have never been separate from the nation that produced them. 
 
The chair is organized into six vertical zones, each corresponding to a distinct era in American fashion history. The materials, textures, patterns, and jewelry elements within each zone were selected through research into the characteristic fabrics, colors, and ornamental conventions of that period. Taken together, they form a record of how access, industry, and cultural identity have transformed what Americans wear. 
 
Handmade Foundations (1776–1820) — The lowest zone honors an era of domestic production. Natural fibers, visible stitching, and restrained ornamentation reflect a time when garments were made slowly and valued accordingly. 
 
Industrial Expansion (1820–1900) — Structured fabrics and decorative trims mark the rising influence of mechanized textile production and the widening availability of ornamented dress. 
 
Aspiration and Ready-to-Wear (1900–1950) — The emergence of department stores and factory production made fashion a vehicle for personal identity. Fabrics grow more refined here; decorative elements, more deliberate. 
 
Synthetic Rise (1950–1980) — Running along the chair's vertical prongs, this zone captures postwar material experimentation: vibrant synthetic fabrics, bold costume jewelry, and an expanding palette made possible by plastics and industrial dyes. 
 
Acceleration of Fashion (1980–2026) — The layers grow denser, reflecting the quickening pace at which clothing and accessories now circulate, accumulate, and are discarded. 
 
Regenerative Fashion (Future Forward) — At the crown of the chair, scraps and fragments from earlier zones are reshaped into a small sculptural garden of flowers and plant forms. Built from repurposed materials and visible mending, this garden proposes an alternative trajectory — one in which creativity, repair, and reuse allow fashion to exist in a more considered relationship with the materials it consumes. 
 
The work documents, layers, and ultimately opens a question: given what this history has made, what might the next era look like? 

Artist Bio

Ashley Kurth-Reinhart is a sustainable fashion designer and upcycling advocate based in Alexandria, Virginia. 
 
As the founder of Paloma Vintage Designs, established as an LLC in 2020, Ashley has dedicated her practice to transforming discarded textiles and vintage materials into wearable art that challenges fast fashion culture. 
 
Her design philosophy centers on revealing the hidden potential in overlooked materials. 
 
Through meticulous deconstruction and reimagining, Ashley creates one-of-a-kind pieces that honor both the history embedded in vintage materials and the urgent need for sustainable design practices. 
 
Ashley founded the Trash to Treasure Movement in 2020, which produces the annual ReFashion Show, showcasing how sustainable design can be both beautiful and accessible. She regularly leads community upcycling workshops, empowering others to extend the life of their clothing and accessories through creative redesign. 
 
What distinguishes Ashley's work is her commitment to community engagement alongside artistic innovation. She views upcycling not merely as an environmental practice but as storytelling—each rescued material carries its own narrative that deserves continuation rather than disposal. Her work bridges historical preservation, environmental activism, and contemporary design, making her uniquely suited for projects celebrating heritage while championing sustainability. 

Chair Display Location

Beatley Central Library
5005 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

America is both a symbol and a lived experience; layered, complex, and still evolving. I have transformed my chair into a bald eagle, an enduring national symbol. 
 
Look closely at the materials that form the eagle. What do you recognize? Composed of over 400 pieces of discarded waste, the work reflects modern American life. Though symbolic in form, the chair remains functional. You can still sit in it. 
 
The seat is covered in newspaper clippings from the 1950s to today, while the backrest is composed of stereograph cards dating from 1898 to 1905. Together, these layers span generations, preserving moments of daily life, conflict, progress, and change. In its talons, the eagle holds reproductions of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Reminders that the ideals and rights woven into our system have endured through 250 years of trial, struggle, and growth. 
 
While creating this piece, I learned my family has been here since the country’s earliest days. I truly believe American history lives within its families — whether here for generations or newly arriving, drawn by opportunity still uniquely possible here. I hope this work invites viewers to reflect on how our shared past shapes our responsibility to the future. 

Artist Bio

Jenny Newberry is a mixed-media artist who creates sculptural and assemblage-based work from reclaimed and discarded materials. Rooted in sustainability and storytelling, her practice explores themes of memory, generational connection, consumption, and the emotional weight we attach to everyday objects. By transforming cast-off textiles, plastics, metal, and found materials, Jenny gives new life to what is often overlooked, inviting viewers to reconsider value, waste, and beauty. 
 
She is the founder of Berryfine Goods, a circular business that helps individuals and families downsize responsibly while diverting usable materials from landfills. This work directly informs her art, providing both materials and inspiration for pieces that honor personal histories and environmental responsibility. 
 
Jenny is deeply committed to education and community engagement. She served as a visiting artist at Marshall Road Elementary School, where she collaborated with sixth graders on two outdoor recycled sculptures and two large-scale murals. She is currently working with Irving Middle School, leading a weekly recycled art enrichment program for students. In 2025, she participated in the ReFashion Show, presenting recycled art created from repurposed materials and further expanding her exploration of sustainability through design. 
 
Her work has been exhibited throughout Virginia, including shows at Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, Falls Church Arts, Art Works Richmond, ArtSpace, and Montpelier Center for the Arts, as well as Earth and Art at Berkeley Arts Council. She has received multiple Honorable Mention and Juror’s Choice Awards for her work. 

Chair Display Location

Barrett Branch Library
717 Queen Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

This upcycled chair was decorating using upcycled materials to prevent more environmental waste contributions. I had years' worth of greeting cards piling up along with travel brochures, so I cut them into four-sided shapes to create a decoupage mosaic. I didn’t want to throw the cards away, even if they were taking up space. Instead, I resurrected them into a new creation, for they were tokens of appreciation and love written inside decorative folded cardstock. Valentines and Christmas cards supplied plenty of red to create the American flag, while the birthday and thank you cards with floral designs gave the chair flair. 

Artist Bio

I am an up and coming artist from the D.C Area. I illustrated a children’s book called “Something to Crow About” by Richard A. Klein. My primary medium is digital illustration using a Wacom Intuos tablet, although as of late, I have been into oil painting. My newfound love for fine art started when I took fine arts classes in college, for I was working on my portfolio at the time. I then started taking painting classes at the Art League this year for the joy of it, and I hope to expand on that the more I practice. I am excited to take on new projects!

Chair Display Location

Beatley Central Library
5005 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

The Eagle 
A chair by Lee Jaworek (with mentoring by Jude Crannitch) 
 
I chose to transform the chair into our national symbol, the American Eagle. The eagle's wings extend towards the viewer as an invitation to sit and pause, rest, and reflect. The last 250 years have not been easy. We went through many things, and in fact we are still going through many things today. We may always be, because progress has no end, as they say. 
 
As was with the Statue of Liberty, echoing a call to the world's tired, poor, and downtrodden, I believe we can realize the true meaning of democracy; one whose strength is rooted in compassion and resilience. How? By sitting in the chair and reflecting on history through the writings and images on the wings and the feathers of the eagle, and keeping in mind that feathers are considered sacred objects with healing power. We then can write new history with the wisdom of events that have happened in the past. The feathers can wipe away misdeeds through atonement, and bring about good deeds. Those feathers form the canvas for the 250 years of the infusion of other countries into native lands. 
 
The chair welcomes the viewer to participate in democracy, where harmony can reside. 

Artist Bio

Lee Jaworek calls his art Artism® - seeing the world through the prismatic lens of Autism. Lee is a young artist with Autism who tries to express his perception of the world through his art; the challenges -- the triumphs -- the beauty. 
 
Lee is a graduate of the Art Institute of Washington with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Since his graduation he has been pursuing a career in painting impressionistic and abstract works. His paintings and prints have been exhibited in the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Alexandria Virginia's Athenaeum Art Gallery, the Paula Poundstone Performance-Fundraiser at The Birchmere nightclub, Nepenthe Gallery in Alexandria, VA, The Bodzin Gallery in Fairfax VA, Northern Virginia Community College, Mason District Government Center, Fannie Mae in Northern Virginia, The Four Seasons in Washington, D.C., and many other galleries in the Washington Metropolitan area. His "Sunflower" painting has been seen on CBS Sunday Morning as part of their sun art collection. Lee has received a number of commissions from private collectors while currently continuing to expand his portfolio. 

Chair Display Location

Burke Branch Library
4701 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

Created in honor of America’s 250th birthday, this chair transforms a functional object into a tribute to national history and lived experience. Painted in sky blue, it becomes a quiet stage for Washington, DC,  not as a political symbol, but as a deeply personal landscape within a larger American story. 
 
Cherry blossoms are on the backrest using a textured paint and drift across the surface, echoing the fleeting beauty of spring and the way moments settle into memory. The number “250” marks this historic milestone. On the back, “1776–2026” anchors the work within the nation’s timeline. Together, they hold a dialogue between past and present. Between the founding of a country and the lived experiences that continue to define it. 
 
The seat centers on the Jefferson Memorial, while other landmarks wrap around the legs, suggesting that history literally supports us. 
 
By transforming the chair into a painted narrative, I try to blur the line between everyday life and collective memory. This piece invites viewers to consider how we sit within history, how national milestones intersect with personal stories, and how the places we inhabit shape our understanding of America at 250 years. 

Artist Bio

Originally from North Carolina, Holly has called the DMV home since 2010. She studied Studio Art at the University of North Carolina Wilmington before spending six years working in corporate real estate. After becoming a mother, she chose to leave the corporate world to stay home with her children and return to her passion for painting. 
 
She launched a project focused on documenting her experiences in Washington, DC, capturing visited locations through acrylic paintings. Holly’s inspiration comes directly from the incredibly talented local photographers across the DMV, whose work influences her perspective and compositions. 
 
Her paintings have been exhibited at the Hill Center in DC, and she presented a solo exhibition at Station 3510 in Mount Rainier, Maryland.

Chair Display Location

Duncan Branch Library
2501 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

I reflected the theme for the Alexandria Library’s “Take a Seat” project of honoring America's 250th birthday and created a living garden—full of flowers and leaves overflowing with color. I was inspired by the idea that we live in the shade of trees we did not plant—an inheritance shaped by those who came before us. Just as the founders of the United States envisioned a nation that would outlast their own lifetimes, I see nature as a reminder of our responsibility to the future. 
 
I use bright, vivid colors as an expression of hope rather than fear. They represent my belief that the future is something we can cultivate with intention, courage, and imagination. Through my work, I seek to encourage viewers to see themselves as both beneficiaries and caretakers. We are part of a larger story still being written in the landscapes and country we shape and protect, understanding that the full bloom may be witnessed only by those who come after us. 

Artist Bio

Alexis Lyons (b. 1990, Huntsville, Alabama) is a D.C.–based artist, Air Force military spouse and former nurse. Lyons brings lived experience to her practice translating themes of resilience and growth into color-driven compositions. Working primarily in acrylic on repurposed moving boxes and canvas, Lyons transforms symbols of relocation into expressions of stability and beauty. Through subjects such as flowers, butterflies, and organic forms, she celebrates the strength and adaptability of military spouses while honoring the quiet refinement that emerges from constant change. 
 
Lyons earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Samford University and her Master of Science in Nursing from University of Alabama at Birmingham before fully embracing her artistic path. Lyons was the solo exhibiting artist of Moving Box Art at The Studios of Key West. She is also an Art-O-Mat artist, a featured artist with Spouse-ly, and a Keys Community Project artist. 

Chair Display Location

Barrett Branch Library
717 Queen Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

This chair celebrates literacy, diversity, and community—forces that have helped shape both Alexandria and the American story. As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, this design reflects the many voices, experiences, and shared stories that continue to define our culture. We are honored to contribute to the Take a Seat project and to celebrate the people and places that make Alexandria such a vibrant community. 
 
The chair is divided into two halves. The red side represents historic Alexandria and the generations who helped build the city’s rich cultural and civic foundations. The blue side represents the Alexandria of today and tomorrow—a dynamic and diverse community shaped by many voices and ideas. Student handprints cover both sides, symbolizing the young people who will carry Alexandria’s story forward. Down the center, white handprints connect the two halves, representing unity and the bridge between past, present, and future. 
 
The seat features illustrations of iconic Alexandria landmarks, including the Kate Waller Barrett Library, the Campagna Center, the Spite House, the Torpedo Factory Art Center, and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Book titles and quotes from American authors appear throughout the design, reminding us that literacy and diverse perspectives strengthen communities and help shape the nation we share. Across the back of the chair, Frederick Douglass’s words—“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free”—serve as a lasting tribute to the power of education, stories, and knowledge in shaping a free and vibrant society. 

Artist Bio

I was drawn to this project due to my involvement with Campagna Center’s Wright to Read program. Created by Frank & Betty Wright over 47 years ago to bring the “gift of literacy to Alexandria’s children,” Wright to Read is powered by volunteer tutor-mentors who meet weekly (primarily at Alexandria’s public libraries) with ACPS elementary-aged children who have been identified as needing additional reading support. Through my work as a WTR volunteer over the past two years, I have seen firsthand how literacy strengthens individuals, families, and the broader community. While I do not come from a traditional artistic background, I have teamed up with community member and friend, Tori Brown, to bring this concept to life with her artistic design and attention to detail. 

Chair Display Location

Beatley Central Library
5005 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

“The Catbird Seat” reimagines a chair as a miniature library: rows of book spines and hidden histories that have shaped and defined America. Within this structure, a dozing orange cat and a caged bald eagle share a single, suspended moment. 
 
By preserving countless perspectives side by side, libraries invite us to encounter history as a living conversation—never settled, always accessible. Ideals and stories may rest quietly until someone pulls a book from the shelf and discovers what they’ve been sitting with all along. 
 
This piece offers one of those moments—quiet, present, and waiting to be engaged. Viewers are invited to open the top of the birdcage, wind the music box, then place it back on the cage to complete the experience. The Catbird Seat invites you to participate in telling its story. 

Artist Bio

Frank Cooper and Talia Linneman are Stone Soup Puppet Co. We have performed at puppet shows in Richmond, Baltimore, and Washington, DC. Other projects have included Prefurred Furniture whimsical upholstery, found object sculpture, upcycling, crafting with household items, and frequenting public transportation and the library. We believe in sitting down and exploring exactly where we are. 

Chair Display Location

Burke Branch Library
4701 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

Transparent smalti, acrylic, sharpie. 
 
This America 250 chair was an exercise in bridging past, present, with hope for a vibrant future. Interwoven are narratives of place, memory, celebration, and belonging. Honoring lives lived, lives loved, and good times yet to be.  
 
My practice is informed by Islamic geometric patterning and time spent volunteering at Empact Art Inc. 

Artist Bio

Born in the boisterous southern city of Altanta, Ga, Issa spent their childhood among palatial oaks 🌳, cloud filled skies ⛅️, and legends of Sweet Auburn.  
 
Tucker Tiger. Hammond Admiral. [TC] Titan. Farm volunteer, photographer, tinkerer. Amateur mosaicist, carpenter, and craftsman.  

Chair Display Location

Beatley Central Library
5005 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

My vision for Take a Seat for Alexandria is to explore 250 years of progression of the instruments for transmitting and recording the written word. By highlighting some of the methods by which we put words onto paper from 1776 to 2026, we can reflect on how the written word has been integral to our history. I’ve only scratched the surface by highlighting the quill & ink, fountain pens, ballpoint pens and typewriters. I believe that the written word is the indispensable medium that is central to documenting our 250 years of American history. 
 
My vision specifically incorporates the typewriter, which has many iterations, as the central and longest-running writing instrument. By featuring all original parts of a vintage 1920s typewriter on the chair, I hope to intrigue while also documenting some of the most compelling events that transpired in our 250-year history. This is done through short descriptions and dates of these major American history events. 
 
This vision combines and parallels the 250-year history of our country along with the writing instruments that documented this history. It will heighten awareness of the past and reinforce how we are able to make sure our history is recorded going forward. 

Artist Bio

I was born in Alexandria and moved back to the City over 30 years ago. I grew up in Falls Church and Taiwan/Thailand. My career centered around all-tradesman construction, ultimately operating my own business for 20 years (Diversified Construction & Handyman Services) of artistic design on all phases of home improvement, focusing on kitchens and baths. Prior to retirement (and more, now in retirement), I constantly dabble in various forms of art, often invoking repurposed materials. I’ve done watercolor painting; picture framing and matting for gifts and artwork; framing with repurposed Ipe hardwood; turned vintage hand-held tools into art; transformed vintage windows into mirrored wall hangings; and created an enclosed dartboard cabinet. 
 
Over the years, I volunteered and served on the board of Rebuilding Together Alexandria; I am currently a member of the Alexandria Community Emergency Response Team (CERT); I am a volunteer driver of older adults to appointments with At Home Alexandria; and I am leading an exercise program for older adults called Staying Active & Independent for Life (SAIL) with the Alexandria Recreation Department. 
 
Repurposing materials has been a part of my DNA for years. Finding a way to make them into art is very compelling to me. 

Chair Display Location

Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe
109 S. Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA

Artist Statement

Jessica and Cindy worked together to embellish this chair with both knitted and crocheted pieces and decorative painted motifs that resemble knitted stitches. This collaboration speaks to the shared work that many women do together to create comfort and beauty in their homes and the items they make for their loved ones. Knitting and crochet have remained a part of life over the 250 years of American history. Colonial women spun and knit out of physical and economic necessity; today’s women practice fiber arts to meet their own – no less necessary – emotional needs and to allow the care and affection they feel for others to manifest as finished pieces. Another symbol of domestic life present in this piece is the cat. Once despised as witches' familiars or valued only for their role in rodent reduction, they are now fully fledged family members. The artists also note that too often when women create, it is considered a hobby. In contrast, when similar work is done by a man, it is considered art. 

Artist Bio

Jessica is an Adult Services librarian at the Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central library branch. She coordinates programs such as Handcraft Tuesday and Yarn Storm. She is also a knitter and sewist. She is a DMV area native currently living with her family in Fairfax and being raised by her cats Simon and Lucy.
The crocheted cats were made for this piece by her colleague Cindy Mejia.