Bellevue artist Fred Lisaius brought his wooden bench to life using brush stokes of pale greens and blues harmonizing with yellows, oranges and pinks – colors reminiscent of the changing seasons in the Northwest.

While listening to music, Lisaius depicted a scene inspired by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

His bench, along with 42 others, will be auctioned off at the 2008 Candlelight Dinner & Bench Auction on Nov. 1 at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.

Twenty-seven Northwest artists were chosen to transform 29 large benches and 14 small benches into unique works of art. The yellow cedar and iron benches were handcrafted by Rainchild Metal Works in Camano Island.

The 43 benches are displayed at the Bellevue Arts Museum, Sitting Pretty for PACE exhibit.

The exhibit runs through Sept. 28. The benches will then be on display in Lincoln Square and Bellevue Square during the month of October.

Lisaius spent two months creating his hand-painted bench, paying special attention to detail.

“Whenever I do any sort of project I take all of the elements into consideration,” he said, adding, “I wanted a theme that reflected PACE. I thought about where it will be used, which is traditionally an outdoor setting, so I depicted the four seasons.”

Sitting Pretty for PACE is a production of Act One Guild for Performing Arts Center Eastside. Now in its fifth year of fundraising for PACE, the Act One Guild has produced a number of major projects featuring public art in the area.

Spearheading the Sitting Pretty for PACE project, Act One Guild President Nancy Walker and 2008 Candlelight Dinner & Bench Auction Co-Chairs Karen Dunn and Janis Wold hope to raise $500,000 for PACE.

The benches will be auctioned off at the 2008 Candlelight Dinner.

The artists were given free rein to express their creativity and insight into the broad meaning of performing arts. The benches vary in color palette, design, and symbolism according to each artists’ interpretation.

The “Willow Pattern” bench, created by artist Petronella Fursman, depicts the story of a young couple entangled in a desperate chase to outrun the wicked father who seeks to destroy them. Love triumphs over evil eventually and the couples’ spirits are seen united at the top of the design in the form of two tiny birds.

Original trained in England, Fursman now resides in Kirkland and creates works of art for the community, local shows and private commissions. The inspiration for her bench derived from an old romantic English story commonly crafted on vintage China hand-painted plates. The legend can be found on the back of the “Willow Pattern” bench.

“I have always been fascinated by the blue and white patterns usually found on China,” Fursman explained. “As a child I painted a piano white and stuck flowers on it so it would look like China. My mother wasn’t to pleased at first, but then she saw how beautiful it was.”

Once completed, PACE will be a 2,000-seat regional center for the performing arts located in downtown Bellevue on the corner of Northeast 10th Street and 106th Avenue Northeast.

“We are very lucky here because it’s a very vibrant artistic community,” Fursman said of the Eastside. “We have music arts, and theater which promotes good feelings and keeps people’s minds alive. It’s also kept within reach of the general public and not exclusive to the elite. That is how art should be,” she added.

Several local volunteer groups continue to work to raise funding for PACE including the Act One Guild, Act Two Guild, Ambassadors For PACE, and Parties For PACE. The Campaign For PACE has raised a total of $31 million.

Lisaius, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, works out of his studio in Bellevue and specializes in acrylic on wood panel or canvas.

“The arts make the community a better place to live,” Lisaius explained, whose art sells at Linda Hodges Gallery in Pioneer Square and the Seattle Arts Museum Gallery. “I’ve always wanted to support the arts in Bellevue and do whatever I can to help make that happen.”

The artists recently celebrated the launch of the Sitting Pretty for PACE exhibit with a VIP party at the Bellevue Arts Museum. Lisaius and Fursman enjoyed mingling with other local artists and viewing all the unique benches on display. For Fursman, the “Reds II” bench by Bellevue artist Theresa Goesling was her favorite, describing it as both artistic and vibrant.

“There are a lot of creative, well-executed benches and an amazing variety of ideas. I think it’s always good when artists work together as a community to make something happen,” Lisaius said.

The Bench designs are available for viewing at the Bellevue Arts Museum or online at www.actoneguild.org. More information about the upcoming 2008 Candlelight Dinner & Bench Auction – Sitting Pretty For PACE.

Lindsay Larin can be reached at llarin@bellevuereporter.com or at 425-453-4602.