Boys in the Lion Chair

30″ x 24″
Oil on canvas

Boys in the Lion Chair

In 2010 we were in this lovely garden in Jacksonville Florida when these little boys appeared and sat with their juice boxes in this old concrete lion garden chair. An irresistible painting waiting to happen. After years of harassment by my daughter, forced me to paint them. No words can express the joy I had doing this painting.

I grabbed one of the canvases that I keep primed for just such an occasion. Without going to my sketchbook I went directly to my canvas to sketch with oil creoles this painting. When I became unhappy with my original drawing I smeared it and turned the canvas upside down to achieve a sketch I was satisfied with.

Oil creoles are great for drawing, placement and composition. Shapes are more important in the initial painting than color. What fun! Children are my absolute favorite subject to paint.

After completing a painting it should rest for at least three days up to two weeks before corrections are made. I like to write them down and only fix things that are blaring mistakes. Otherwise a painting gets muddied up and loses its freshness. The painting should speak for itself. Not what I say about the process.