Chicken
people eating chicken during a festival
G. Boersma
acrylic on masonite
48" x 36" or 120 x 91,5 cm
2003
not for sale
This is one of the very few paintings I made in 2003. That year my painting got better, but it still took a long time to finish one. It took about two months to complete and I only made 6 paintings that year.
On the painting we see a couple of figures ordering and eating chicken at a festival. The trashcan says 'Fryslân Miljeu' which makes it clear that this scene takes place in my hometown Leeuwarden in the provence of Friesland or Fryslân as it's known also.
I remember showing this painting once in Amsterdam. Two elderly men were enjoying the painting very much, but they just couldn't figure out how on earth a trashcan from Friesland, all the way up north ended up in their beloved Amsterdam. They came up with all sorts of solutions, it got crazier and crazier. It never occurred to them that maybe it was painted up north. I overheard there conversation for quite a while and finally stepped in and explained it.
The painting now hangs at my mom and dad's home. It's a personal favorite of my dad. He just loves the way the guy on the left is eating his chicken. It was also the last time I painted a tree. I thought I could paint it somewhat impressionistic, but that turned out to be a total failure as it looked like a photograph with a cartoon drawn in. I ended up painting every single leaf separately. That was no fun, but to end on a brighter note: it was also the first time I figured out which colors to use to paint some jeans.
kind regards, Gerard
