'a bone in the garden of total eclipses' red chair/green chair paintings

This is the first of two paintings, for a friend's cottage.  They're from photographs I took years ago.  His dad made the chairs.  I've spent three days painting this one, and have only done a small area.  I think it's going to take a while...


Paint clings to wood by a simple osmosis,

red is the colour of choice,

I heard you say 'flame' as the smoke rose above us,

in a clear and melodious voice.

'a bone in the garden of total eclipses', #542 verse:7


Charlie Feb 1 whole.JPG

Charlie's Dad's green chair '02 (3).jpg

This is the original photograph.


Green chair Feb 5.JPG

Slowly working on the leaves in the background.  I haven't decided if I'm going to add any text to this or not.  I need to find a verse I like to go with them, or write one, if I can't find one that exists already.  This is layer one of at least three.  (I ended up writing a poem to go with the painting, 'a bone in the garden of total eclipses'.  I normally write the poem first, and then figure out what image would go with it.  Sometimes I have a great object or photograph, but no text to go with it, so I do it the other way around.


Charlie Feb 8.JPG

I managed to get a bit more done.


DSC02925.JPG

Managed to get layer one on the entire chair.  So far, so good.


DSC02932.JPG

Slowly working my way up through the leaf layer.


March 18.JPG

This painting has the word 'red' for the text, to go with the verse from the poem 'a bone in the garden of total eclipses'.  The next painting of a red chair will have the word 'green'.  Still a long way to go.


DSC02939.JPG

A bit more done.  Eventually I'll finish the first layer of leaves, then I can repaint the whole thing two more times.  I have done a little bit more work on the bottom right hand side.


DSC02940.JPG

Up 'til 2:30.  Progress is slow, but I'll get there in the end.


March 31.JPG

Finally.  Now I can start layer two.


April 14 one.JPG

A bit more done.  Lots of late nights.  Not finished yet.  I am enjoying it.

 


DSC02965 (2).JPG

Still working on the sky.


April 26 '18 (2).JPG

Finally finished.  Well, it's signed, so it must be.  Did some clouds for the sky.  I've also started the red chair painting.


green chair 2 (2).jpg

A better photo maybe.  Finished.


Moss covers bone like a green velvet blanket,

there's nothing but entropy here,

wolves took the heart and the bones they could carry,

leaving us nothing but fear.

'a bone in the garden of total eclipses', #542 verse:4


Red chair April 26.JPG

Did the drawing, and painted the border blue. 


Charlie's Dad's red chair (3).jpg

This is the original photograph.  This chair is in worse shape than the green one.  I kind of like it like this.


April 29 red chair.JPG

Some of the leaves done.  I like the way they look more than the ones on the green chair painting.  They look more like leaves, and less like abstract shapes.  Fun fun fun.


May 3 no border (2).JPG

Stayed up late to finish the leaves.  Layer one of three.


DSC03009.JPG

I really love the trees.


DSC03011 (2).JPG

This is the top part of the painting.  One layer of paint on everything so far, so it looks streaky from the brushstrokes.  Layer two and three will smooth those out.  I like it so far.


May 5 (2).JPG

Everything with a base coat, except the lettering.


May 12.JPG

Turning up the volume on the colour. 


May 12 two.JPG

More work on the background.


DSCF2603 (2).JPG

Finished.  I want to do another one.