A woman who works with her hands is a laborer;

A woman who works with her hands and her head is a craftsperson;

A woman who works with her hands, her head and her heart is an....

Artist.


Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Butterflies Are Free . . .

Butterfly children's chair - Sold

If you know my work - you know I love painting chairs.
In many ways - chairs were the gateway to many of my other items that I create. (Is there a 12-step group for that?)
I love taking old chairs that people are tired of and giving them a new life.
Full of color and whimsy - they become useable pieces of art.
And who can't use an extra chair?

People use their chairs for their desks, for a focal point in a corner of a room, for teacher's chair for story or circle time in a classroom . . .all sorts of things.

And of course - children's chairs are the most popular.
A few years back, I was lucky enough to stumble on an ad on Craigslist.
A church was selling a whole room full of old children's chairs.
Make us an offer, they said.
So I did - $2 per chair for as many as I could put in the back of my van.
The price was perfect - but I worked for those chairs.
I had to carry them all out of a basement - up 2 flights of stairs - on a hot August day.

I brought home a lot of children's chairs. We had them stashed everywhere possible.
I have painted them and sold them over the last few years.

But alas . . .I have only one chair left.
And they are getting so difficult to find - school districts have destroyed their supply of wooden chairs -
they are not considered sanitary.
People who sell them now consider them an "antique" and want "antique" prices.
I am a sad, sad person. . .

So I send a message out in to the universe . . .
where is an artist to find inexpensive wooden children's chairs?
May I happen upon another source from someone who is just anxious to make them someone elses problem?
I would be kind enough to take on that burden. . . 

2 comments:

  1. Lovely, lovely, lovely!! I admire your visionary mind!

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  2. Hey Laurie! I too have had a lapse from the ole blogosphere...but am going to try again this year to try and get the hang of it. Congratulations on your daughters marriage...my son is marrying in October so I am slowly getting a taste for what you have just been through. He and his bride to be are getting married on Orcas Island (Washington) and I just can't wait to see him, his bride, my daughter and all of the other family too.

    Getting back to your post though, your chair is "All full of Purdy!" I have 2 small chairs in my art room that I will be painting someday...and I feel your pain on finding them. I think I paid over $20 a piece...but I just had to have them!!! I've also picked up an old wooden Red Rider rocking pony (toddler size) in which my plan is to paint! So so cute I don't think I will be able to sell so I will hang onto until I have some grandchildren.

    Anyway, so glad to see you blogging and I look forward to seeing more!!!

    <3

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