Saturday 24 March 2018

Have a Seat

Our Monday morning art group are hosting a mini art exhibition starting next week, and one of our art projects has been to renovate and decorate an old piece of furniture. It could be a chair, a table, a footstool, whatever has been discarded.

Sometimes treasures can be found at the side of the road on garbage day, you just have to be at the right place at the right time. I kept looking but didn't find anything suitable.

I eventually found this child's chair at the local thrift shop, and took it home, but when I started sanding it down I noticed one of the stretchers between the chair legs was missing, making the whole thing a bit wobbly and unsafe.

A quick trip to the local lumber store for a dowel and then some TLC from a friend with a saw and a hammer fixed things fairly quickly.

Then a spray can of glossy black paint covered up the worst of the dents and scratches, and the Three Hares design was carefully painted on the seat in gesso. 

The Three Hares is an ancient design found in many locations including China, the Middle East, France, England..... a puzzle really, with each hare having two ears, but only 3 ears actually appearing.
Then the hares were painted with colourful acrylic paint. 

Now I'm debating whether to add any colour to the existing pressed wood design on the back of the chair..... what do you think?

Blog edit a few days later: I've decided to leave the chair as it is, no more colour. Just a coat of gloss medium over the paint to give it some shine. I'll be posting pics of the other art chairs once we get the exhibition started.

18 comments:

  1. I love it, it looks great. Yes a small amount of colour to the back would look good I think! I love the stripes you've added.

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  2. Hello. I am sorry that you wrote to me twice, because the first comment disappeared. It happens to me too. You repaired the chair very nicely and then you painted it. I would not paint anymore, it is already sculpted. * How do you feel after the surgery, because I still get stuck and it stresses me. We also hardly see spring yet, I look forward to it with longing. Greetings.

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  3. I think it's fine in this finished state, but it's your call on colours.

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  4. I think paint would mask the texture of the back - but what do I know.
    Love those trickster hares.

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  5. All I can say is I'm thoroughly impressed with your artistic sense and ability. I love that chair and would be proud to have it in my house. I don't think you're graded, but you should get an A++!

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  6. I think it looks great as it is. A great job you did!

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  7. It looks beautiful. You gave it a new life.

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  8. It's a worthy project. I am tempted to suggest adding a bit of colour up top to tie it in, but don't overdo it. But I have no credentials, so take it all with a grain of salt.

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  9. I would say no to extra colour Shammi, it looks fabulous exactly as is. How cool the bunny ear puzzle, individually they have two ears each but together only three, excellent! Looking forward to seeing some of the group's creations!

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  10. Thanks, Shammy, for fixing the commenting section! I didn't know you were a horse person. Did you jump? We find this HITS event so exciting. The horses are gorgeous and the riders do very well. Many are younger people but they also have events for older adults.

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  11. That last comment was mine...somehow my name got left off! :)

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  12. What fun! And a huge success! I love that chair. I would have done it in chalk paint, but the finishing process is arduous (the waxing) and I have stopped chalk painting for that reason. What kind of gloss did you use for the finish?

    Love that hare design. And I would probably have put some colour on the top of the chair, but honestly with the other colours, I think you made the right decision in leaving it alone.

    Let me know when your next class will be and I'll jump on Pegasus and come right over! LOL!

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  13. Hey Shammy - thanks for the comment on Ocala! This was a very strange car. At first I thought it was a Smart Car, which I first saw in Paris in 2007. It's very similar, obviously, but I guess I'm going to have research the Jeep Egg and see what it's all about. And Hawaii? That really threw me. It's a long way away and over lots of water too.

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  14. I really like it the way it is, but adding something else might make it even better. Very good job!

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  15. I think this is lovely as is too....you did a great job. How nice to rescue a piece of furniture like that plus do art too. .....now which grand-kiddie will be fighting over it ;)

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All comments welcome.... unless your name is Anonymous..