Portraits: Mary Beth Collier

Mary Beth Collier came into possession of two metal lawn chairs from her mother about 25 years ago. She had been painting them white over the years until she found two more of a similar style at a thrift store. About three or four years ago, she was inspired by a multicolored patio umbrella to sand the chairs down and spray paint them four pastel colors. "The (two original) chairs are about 50 years old," says Collier, adding, "I remember them as a kid sitting under the evergreen trees in Lidgerwood (N.D.)." Last year she started photographing the chairs, believed to be called tulip metal lawn chairs, outside her Dilworth home during each of the four seasons. She will have to restart that project since her camera containing all of the digital pictures was stolen. "They've been fun chairs to have, and people really notice them."