Thursday, April 29, 2010

Chair 1: The Vincent panel

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) is a constant inspiration to me.

That is why I made the unusual choice to paint Vincent's portrait on the back of the first chair I painted.

I like to think that this portrait is a "happier, better looking Vincent" than the ones he usually painted.

Can you find my initials in the swirls of the background?

Chair 1 is in a Private Collection

Monday, April 26, 2010

Let me tell you how all this began ...


A few years back, a friend of mine phoned me up with an idea. She had an old chair that she had purchased at a local second hand shop (for $14.99) that was truly loved by her cat.

Flipping through a magazine one day, she spotted a photo of an arm chair with an ever-so-lovely vivid sunflower with a glorious red background. Although the magazine chair was upholstered with that pattern, she had another idea.

"We should paint my chair", she exclaimed. Of course we meant me. I was up to her challenge. So, without thinking about it, I agreed to go to her house and give this painting idea a whirl.

Honestly, it had been years since I had painted. My mother kept telling me that I should take up painting again. She insisted that I was really good at it. Of course my mom would say that ~ she was my mom and was obligated to say such things, so I resisted. But now, I thought I'd give this challenge a whirl. I packed my paints and my smock in my car and drove the half hour trip to my friend's house.

We discussed subject matter for the chair, and we decided that I should attempt to do a Faux Gogh. A painted chair in honour of my favourite artist of all time, Vincent Van Gogh.

To make a long story short, the chair turned out beautifully, and the idea of reclaiming old chairs was serendipitously planted in my mind.
And the rest, they say is history.