Sitting on Art

We've had rain for 5 solid days, not a trickle but hard, blinding, tree ripping rain!  That translates to many hours in the studio but no sun for photographing the work.  So I will share an experiment and a suggestion: why not sit on your art?!  I hear so many folks telling me they are out of wall space for new acquisitions.  OK, well branch out and buy functional work.  Here's my experiment:

 

Several folks noticed this chair during my studio tour and asked about it.  I was trying out "chalk paint" (all the rage on internet craft blogs these days) which can be purchased or made.  The claim to fame is that it goes on top of almost any condition of furniture without lots of prior treatment.  So I ordered the calcium carbonate, mixed up a few batches and started in on this $10 sturdy chair.  I didn't quite know where I was going other than my guest room is blue and yellow.

Here's the final project.  I added the carbonate to most of the trim colors as well as I could not remember if that was advised.  The painting of furniture is much more tedious than it appears as many colors need two or more coats to show up and the funny angles often mean you are upside down or laying on the floor underneath your "canvas."

 

Also, a chair, unlike a canvas, is 3D and can be viewed from all sides.  That's a lot of real estate to cover!  I had no real master plan with this piece, just easy shapes and colors as a first time experiment.  The important step in using chalk paint is to seal it with rub on wax.  The Johnstons clear wax was highly recommended so I bought that and coated the chair with it using a soft rag.  When the wax dries you then go over it with another clean rag and buff it all to a soft shine.  It is supposed to be a more professional finish than a poly coating and have a softer finish like furniture we purchase.  I like the finish although I cannot, yet, attest to how it holds up under wear.

A happy piece don't you think?  Yes, it is signed and available for purchase (contact me if interested), although I am growing rather fond of it in my guest room.

 

So if you insist that you have no more wall space, start looking for functional pieces that still give you the pleasure of collecting original art....it may serve to give a guest a place to sit!  There's no way you will offend me by sitting on this piece of art.

 

Happy collecting,

Cindy