A Chair with a Past

Old chairs fascinate me, and this one is no exception. I purchased this chair in 2004 from a thrift shop in Barnegat, New Jersey. I liked the style of the chair and I thought that someday I might do something to spruce it up and give it new life. For the next 4 years, it remained unused in my studio, just waiting for the right inspiration. The perfect “inspiration” for the chair presented itself in the form of the Mt. Carmel Guild annual fundraiser. Every year I donate either a piece of furniture or a “Day of Painting”, the difference with this year was that I had 1 week to get something together!

I’ve refurbished a lot of furniture over the years and when I look at a piece, I can see past the wear and tear and, in my minds eye, see the finished product. The first step with this chair was to remove the seat bottom. It was covered in a green textured vinyl material and I knew first and foremost, that this had to go if there was going to be any future for this chair. When I removed the green vinyl, I realized that there were several more layers of fabric, seven to be exact. It was like unwrapping a present and finding another one inside! This got me thinking about not only how old this chair might be, but it’s history. Just how many plans were made, stories told, pictures colored and holiday meals had been shared around this chair? I’ll never know for sure, but it became obvious to me that with every layer of fabric, there had been new life for this chair and as an artist, I can truly appreciate that.

The photographs show each stage of the chair’s previous lives, and of course, the finished product. The original gold fabric as well as the chair padding was left on and is the base for the new checked fabric.

I don’t know who the new owner of the chair is today, but they not only have a new chair for the kitchen, they have a “Chair with a Past”.