I’ve been dabbling on this painting for the past month or so, working on it for a while then setting it aside. Taking some time before jumping ahead, lettting time give me a better view of where I was going here. It’s a fairly large canvas at 30″ by 30″ and features the Red Chair that is the central figure of a number of my paintings. I consider the chair an icon-like object that has meaning (or personification) for many people beyond its obvious nature as a mere chair. For instance, for me it often signifies memory but others see it as a seat for past family members or as a place to sit and pause on their own journey in life. It’s a subjective meaning and there is no right or wrong here.
As significant as the chair is here, the tree equally shares the role as the central figure in this piece. I decided to make this tree a bit of an anomaly for my work– not a red tree. The greens are not deep or opaque in color and allow the red oxide underpainting to shine through, giving it a reddish tint and creating depth in the foliage. The tree forms a very bold figure in the middle distance, one that relates in some way to the Red Chair in the foreground.
How does it relate? What is this piece saying? I’m still working on this myself. It sometimes takes me longer to translate a piece than it does for someone who first sees it for a few moments in a gallery. I can say that this piece has a very comforting feel for me. Their is a warmth in the colors and the composition seems to cradle the eye as it progresses into the picture along the rolling path. The sky has a brightness and the darkness at its edges is not overly foreboding. While there is a contemplative feel to the chair, it is not anxious but, rather, tranquil. As I said, comforting.
I am still taking this painting in and this reading will evolve over time. But for now, I’m happy to have it in sight to feel its calming effect.
Redtree Times 