Chickens Why chickens? Vivid memories of holding chicks, collecting eggs and the rush of flapping feathers during the feeding or the slaughter are all part of it. In the darkness of the granary, I'd sit with the baby fluffballs, glowing orange under the heat lamp. They would later become hens, annoyed and indignant as I'd reach for their eggs in nests hidden around the farm. The final harvest would also create so many lasting impressions. A remarkable image of a headless chicken following me around and around in circles...even when I changed directions...is quite unforgettable. And so began the paintings. Chickens started as a departure- a kind of comic relief from other compositions. The trip through Central and South America provided the spark to pursue them more fully. I found myself studying their vivid colouring and activity. Riding through a very remote orange dirt road, the only link between Manous and Belem, provided the backdrop to many more compositions. |
