Photo: Artist Jo Thayer is crafting chairs out of tree branches to raise money for puppy mill awareness (photo by Eileen Woodside).
Jo Thayer makes chairs out of cedar harvested from local woods and willow harvested from swamps. The Ottawa artist spends hours knee deep in water, trying to find the perfect length and shape for each of her creations.
She harvests materials, then cuts, sands, and screws each piece together, and applies at least two coats of preservative to each finished chair.
“Rustic or twig furniture blends the natural grace of a growing tree and seems to hold the spirit of the forest,” Thayer said recently. “One is never quite sure just what the end creation will look like, as each new branch is different from the last.”
All proceeds from the sale of Thayer’s chairs are donated to Puppymill Awareness Working Solutions (PAWS), an Ottawa non-profit volunteer organization that raises awareness of abuse associated with the puppy mill industry and promotes adoption of homeless animals.
“Our primary message is to educate people who unknowingly support the puppy mill industry,” said Eileen Woodside, an Old Ottawa East resident and founder of PAWS. “Puppies sourced from pet stores, flea markets and other unknown sources, are indicative that the puppies are from puppy mills or backyard breeders. If you decide to purchase from a breeder, ensure that you are dealing with a reputable one who maintains ethical breeding practices.”
Thayer’s chairs are currently on display and for sale at Artistic Landscape Design, 2079 Bank Place in Ottawa South.
For further information about these unique chairs, or to find out more about PAWS, please contact PAWSolutions1@gmail.com and www.pawsolutions.org.
