Photo by Miranda Pederson/Daily News

For the last several years, The Friends of Riverview have been organizing an annual Charity Affair, featuring chairs painted by local artists who allow the works to be auctioned off to benefit Riverview at Hobson Grove, Bowling Green’s only historic house museum.

This year The Friends broadened the range of art that will be auctioned off and renamed their fundraiser That Blooming Charity Affair.

&#8220We’re getting away from the chairs and giving artists the chance to present us with any creative inspiration they have,” said Cameron Lebedinsky, who is in charge of marketing for the Charity Affair Committee.

The works will be auctioned at 5:30 p.m. May 13 at the 1502 Scottsville Road home of Peggy and Victor Atalla.

The evening, which is open to the public for $50 a person, will also feature a pool-side cocktail buffet and a silent auction of donated items.

Last year’s event raised about $19,000.

This year, The Friends would like to raise $25,000, said Sam Terry, executive director of Riverview.

&#8220We have more artists participating than ever before this year,” he said. &#8220The variety of art and the various art media is so broad-range that any person interested in owning or collecting artistic pieces could find something appealing to them.”

The pieces, by more than 50 local artists, can be seen in the windows of the retail space below Park Row Apartments on Founrtain Square in Bowling Green.

They include a chair caned by Col. Robert Spiller, a painting by New Orleans native Misha Ambrosia, a scarf-covered screen by Winkie Huddleston and the best-in-show abstract piece by George Vitorovich.

&#8220Those who appreciate art will really appreciate the items and there’s room for those people who just look at something and know that they like it,” said Nicole Talley, vice chairwoman of the Charity Affair. &#8220We do have a lot of bright, floral things that reflect That Blooming Charity Affair this year.”

Angie Alexieff is chairwoman of the event.

The silent auction items include a dinner for six at the Bowling Green Fire Department, tickets to a Tennessee Titans game, passes for Capitol Arts Alliance events, tickets for the Bowling Green Chamber Orchestra children’s series, art lessons from Alexieff, a needlepoint kit and garden decor items.

&#8220Everybody’s been very generous,” Talley said.

Lebedinsky hopes the public will go to see the art on the square and consider attending the auction.

Terry said the money raised through the Charity Affair will help pay for daily operations at the non-profit Riverview – which is also financed by the city – and with the building of a visitors center at the home.

Atwood and Julia VanMeter Hobson began building the Italianate, Victorian Riverwood in the 1850s. Construction stopped during the Civil War, when the Confederate Army used the house, at the top of West Main Avenue, to store munitions. It was completed in 1872.

Restoration efforts on the home began 40 years ago. The house opened as a museum in 1972.

– For more information about Riverview or That Blooming Charity Affair, call 843-5565.

In addition to Ambrosia, Huddleston, Spiller and Vitorovich, the artists participating in That Blooming Charity Affair include Tonya Barbour, Tom Bartel, Greer Bohannon, Tim Broekema, Brenda Brown, Charity Childress, Rachel Clark, Shelly J. Clark, Robin Collins, Helen Crocker, Lilly Dutton, Sara Duvall, Judith Gray, Colleen Hathaway, Marsha Heidbrink, Mark Hood, Michelle Huddleston, Patty Hughes, C. David Jones, Kim McCreary Jones, Debby Modlin, Arlene Moorman, Robert Nelson, Keith Northern, Luella Pavey, Jessica Pedigo, Esli Pelly, Yvonne Petkus, Suzanne Renfrow, Faye Christian Phillips, Mitchell Rickman, Lynn Robertson, Lynn Rossi, Delaire Rowe, Andee Rudloff, Robert Shymkus, Joseph Smith, Mary Ross Smith, Rhonda Hartis Smith, Kim Soule, Linda Stephens, Laura Taylor, Stephanie Townsend, Jessica Vincent, Alice Gatewood Waddell, Fleur Whitaker, Brent Whitlow, Shanna Paul and H.F. Art Class.