"Painted Furniture Workshop" caught my attention as I thumbed the Durham Tech Community College catalog looking for an art experience. This was it!

The class, sponsored by Independent Animal Rescue of Durham (IAR), is taught by three local artists: Kathryn DeMarco, who specializes in collage; Paula MacLeod, mosaic tile; and Emily Weinstein, painting. They provide old furniture, all the art supplies needed to accomplish great things, and extensive expertise. The objective for each student, even for those like me whose last artwork was accomplished in elementary school, is to select a piece of furniture and, guided by the artists, prepare it for IAR's annual "Painted Chair and More Auction," its most important fundraiser of the year. These will join many items donated by professional and amateur artists, including pottery, jewelry, photography and paintings.

Our first class began with slides of the excellent furniture entries from prior classes. They were so excellent that, rather than inspire me, they suggested I was in over my head.

Embarrassed to leave in front of everyone, I stayed for slides of abandoned cute kittens and puppies, beautiful cats, sad dogs -- the reasons for IAR, an incredible organization dedicated to providing homes for these loyal animal friends, after procuring all of their medical needs. In fact, the spaying and neutering that they provide for all pets placed in homes impose a huge expense on IAR. Run totally by volunteers, IAR has programs for feral cat rescue, dog behavioral training, education and outreach on animal welfare, and a section that works on legislation on behalf of animals. It is funded solely by donations and by events such as the one for which the painted furniture was being prepared.

By this point in our evening, inspired, I put aside feelings of inadequacy, eager to begin.

We strolled through furniture, seeking matches between an item's potential and an artist's ability, egged on by the enthusiasm of our three pros. After great deliberation, I chose a ladder-back chair. Emily animatedly detailed the long history of this bedraggled choice of battered varnish. Once a Duke University Library chair of mid-20th century, it was valiantly rescued from bulldozers when its post-library home for many years was being demolished for modern housing.

Paula offered a gorgeous idea for a mosaic treatment using broken pieces of flowery dinner plates. Kathryn regaled me with a photo of a chair she had collaged. I was hooked. Three workshop dates later plus many, many hours of happy labor, I had transformed the chair using the techniques of all three pros. I was high on internal glow! While I worked, others were transforming their pieces into works of art! Beautiful art!

You can see these and other auction items at www.animalrescue.net/PCA2009. This year's auction will be Saturday, July 18 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Chapel Hill. There will be appetizers, beverages and music. The Durham Bulls' canine mascot, Lucky the Wonder Dog, and his pal, Little Lucky, will entertain guests throughout the evening. A Silent Auction runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and the live auction begins at 7:45 p.m. Tickets can be advance-purchased ($15) online at www.animalrescue.net, at adoption events, at the Cat Hospital, or for $20 at the event. All proceeds benefit the animals. Do join us!