The shapes of chairs create interesting negative space. Their legs and slatted backs let the landscape or background show through. They frame a view and enhance their surroundings. You can put things on their seats that aren’t people – flowerpots, pillows, and cats. And, in the right light, they cast dramatic shadows.
The first chair painting I did was all about this negative space. I stained the surface of a canvas the brown color of the chair and painted the white walls around the edges of the structure and its shadow.
“Chair and Shadow,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 1974
In 1983 I began to make my “set-ups” of chairs, rugs, plants, windows, etc. I moved them around inside or outside my house to take advantage of the light. Certain chairs made stronger statements than others, and I’ve used them over and over.
Here are some of the images I’ve painted since that first chair in 1974.
A Chair for the Museum Show
In 1985 I had a solo show at the Anchorage Museum. I did a series of paintings using the east window in my studio as a backdrop. I think this painting was the first “set-up” I made using a dining room chair, a plant, patterned rugs, and patterned cloth.
“East Window – May,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on linen, 40″ x 32″ 1983
Sunshine and Flowers
Every fall I bring all my geraniums inside for the winter. I love to see them in the sunlit living room, as the weather outside gets colder.
“Char and Flowers – September,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 1992
The Kitchen Chair
Our kitchen chairs are straight-backed and sturdy. They’re a solid and reassuring presence and good creators of negative space.
“Chair and Canvas #2,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 40″ x 30″ 1993
“Dark Chair and Pink Geraniums,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 40″ x 32″ 1996
“Chair and Flowers in an Empty Room,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 40″ x 32″ 1998
The White Chair
When my grandma Crump went into a nursing home she let us grandchildren each choose something they liked from her house. I had always wanted this white chair and a little white table that had been in my father’s bedroom when he was growing up. My dad had it packed up and sent all the way to Alaska for me. It’s a hard chair to paint because of all the turnings on the legs, but I love it.
“Chair and Flowers – Spring,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 40″ x 32″ 1992
“White Chair with Pansies and Geraniums,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 34″ x 26″ 2005
“Pink Geranium in a Blue Bowl,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 38″ x 30″ 2005
Mara’s Orange Chair
In high school my daughter Mara painted her bedroom orange. And one summer her friend Meghan gave her this orange chair for her birthday. It had been in the coffee shop where Mara worked, and when the place closed down Meghan somehow fit the chair into her little car and brought it to the orange room.
“Mara’s Orange Room,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 38″ x 30″ 1998
The Wing Back Chair
For a while this was my studio chair. But now I keep it in the living room where I sit to read or knit. It’s been recovered twice – that’s how well used it is.
“Striped Chair with Two Geranimus,” Carol Crump Bryner, oil on canvas, 34″ x 26″ 2005
“Chair with Pink Geranium,” Carol Crump Bryner, gouache and colored pencil. 2010
Thanks for joining me on this chair adventure. Happy spring!
Me and my Great-Grampa Biggs sitting in the yard on a summer day, 1947
Dear Carol,
What a cheerful way to bring in the Spring with your display of chair paintings. I will be looking for interesting chairs to photograph while we are in Czech Republic and remember to send you some images of them. They too are great gardeners and most every postage stamp yard is growing vegetables and flowers as they have over the centuries, and especially under communism. Their gardens were their own to share by their choice and not mandated.
Little Rosemary Hattie Norton will be returning from her 3 day stay at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, Maine where they treated her for RSV. It’s a childhood virus that is very dangerous for infants under 8 weeks and she is only 2 weeks old. She is doing well enough to come home to her big brother and sister. Our 11th grandchild will be born in Czech in April and the rocking chairs will be the most useful chairs in the house. Love to you and your family this Easter Resurrection Sunday and beyond. With love, Becky
Hi Becky, I hope you do send me some photos of chairs. And I’m so glad that your little granddaughter is ok. It’s so scary when the tiny ones get sick. And I love her name. So glad they chose “Hattie” for the middle name. I love that. Love to you all!
Carol,
I love them all and shared this wonderful work with my two artist daughters. We are all very impressed. They immediately saw the first negative space painting as a familiar foundation piece of an artist’s portfolio. I saw it as a large brain cramp. Your vibrant colors, deep, crisp shadows and expert perspective are fabulous. Thanks for sharing.
Mike
Thanks Mike. Always so good to hear from you.
Oh, Carol, now you’ve done it! All my work-to-be-done intentions for the day are shot. I’m off to find a comfy chair, any of several good books to read, and perhaps a quilt on which I’m learning to applique. Does anyone have a cat I may borrow?
You made me laugh this morning, Janet. Hope you did sit in that comfy chair. And maybe found a loaner cat?
Carol, I love seeing these! You are such a master of light. Hope you are painting a lot these days.
xox, joannie
Thanks, Joanie. I’m not painting too much. Too much traveling lately, but I will be home in a week or so and then I’ll paint!.
These paintings do inspire, both subject and rendering. Thanks Carol.
Thanks, Mary Jenne!
Carol, We love the painting your did of your father’s white chair in 1994, which we have on a windowless living room wall. With the cheerful flowers and light streaming in from the open door leading out to your deck, I can imagine sitting on this chair and enjoying the cheerful warmth of spring during our cold, snowy winter days. Thanks for the gift of your chair series….such a wonderful collection of light, shadow, shape, and color. Love, Carol
Oh, I had forgotten that I did a painting of that chair for you! So nice to hear from you. Hope you and Dave are well. Are you coming to Portland at all this summer?
I looked at all your past posts and admired all your chairs – such a variety and they all look comfortable and inviting. You are very talented and it shows in your art – vibrant colors and original paintings. I had not thought about taking pictures of our chairs, but now I shall. Years ago we went to an auction in an old plantation – I bought a “gentleman” and “lady” chair, the type you see in old Southern movies. I also bought an old rocking chair and American Victorian chairs with needlepoint seats. Now I for sure will take pictures of all of them. I just remembered that in another auction we bought a rosewood reclining couch – Victorian style. It stands near a “Gone with the Wind” lamp. All these will make a nice post after we move (whenever…)
Thanks, Vagabonde. The old chairs seem to have so much more character than new ones. Good luck with recording yours, and good luck with your move (whenever…)