Mayor Tim Kelly and officials from the Tennessee Aquarium will kick off the holiday season on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 9 a.m. by dedicating the City of Chattanooga’s official 2023 ornament. This year’s limited-edition collectible ornament is a stainless steel and resin portrait of the Tennessee Aquarium. The ornament will be available for purchase at the Tennessee Aquarium’s gift shop, the Hart Gallery and other area galleries and gift shops starting Wednesday, Nov. 29, with pre-sales available now at hartgallery.org.
One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to the Hart Gallery, whose programs use art to aid artists who are experiencing homelessness, living with mental and physical disabilities, disabled veterans, individuals fleeing abusive situations and others.
"This ornament is not only a keepsake for families to cherish for years to come, but it represents the power art and nature have to heal," Tennessee Aquarium CEO Keith Sanford said. "Partnering with Signal Centers is one of the many ways the Aquarium reaches out to the community."
“We are thrilled to feature one of the city’s most cherished landmarks and tourist attractions as this year’s ornament. When you purchase an ornament, you can feel confident that 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the Hart Gallery and raise awareness through this artist’s story of his challenges with mental illness,” Mayor Kelly said.
The stainless-steel ornament highlights the Tennessee Aquarium’s distinctive crystalline glass roof in royal blue resin, reflecting a sunny day with a rich blue sky. It is sold in a protective royal blue box. It includes an insert card of local Hart Gallery artist Darron DeSantis’ painting of the Tennessee Aquarium entitled, “Have a Blue Christmas.”