Artists for Humanity

Symmetrical Chair Collection (top) and  Mythology Chair Collection (bottom) by AFH Painting Studio

Tonight, I'm off to a preview party for the Gilt Group warehouse sale, which I'll be live blogging tomorrow. (Check back here for updates throughout the sale.) Both the party and the sale take place at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter, and as one of Boston's most interesting buildings and organizations, I'm surprised I didn't think to feature the Southie spot until now.

AFH states it best: "Our mission is to bridge economic, racial and social divisions by providing underserved youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts."

Professional artists serve as mentors to the paid teen apprentices, who are involved in every aspect of design, creation, marketing and sales of artwork, often commissioned by clients. And the success of the program is reflected in some truly incredible pieces of art.

Each Have a Seat chair, above, was created by an AFH teen artist to celebrate the organization's 20th anniversary. At $200 a pop, you're getting an original piece of artwork for less than the price of a Panton chair. Hell, that's less than the price of a Crate & Barrel chair. The chairs are available for sale online, along with other furniture, clothing, greeting cards and stunning prints.

Of course, if you're in the area, you're best bet is to visit the EpiCenter, which was the first building in Boston to receive LEED Platinum Certification from the Untied States Green Building Council. It was also recently nominated for the Harleston Parker Medal as one of Boston's "Most Beautiful" architectural projects.

But nothing does the building justice like these images I found by Tyra Bleek Photography...

[photos via Tyra Bleek Photography]

The loft space functions as a blank canvas, and you know how I feel about lofts. This, plus a lovely outdoor patio, has made the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter a popular wedding venue. What do you think? With the right decor, could you see yourself tying the knot here?