The Masked Invader: 47.6cm x 47.6cm
**Words by Amber L-J**
As I tend to my garden, I can make out the sound of mischievous scheming and clucking. The hens of my next-door neighbour, with their comical determination, are planning to infiltrate once more.
Their small size should not be underestimated, as these chickens are fierce, with a complete disregard of my attempts to keep the vegetable patch intact. It is a daily battle which occurs with clockwork precision.
Initially, they try to conceal themselves in the long grass. However, their clawed feet signal their presence, with their white and orange tail feathers peak over the top like sharks drawn to bait.
They near the end and realise that I have been watching them, arms crossed on the patio, with just a hint of a smile. Quickly, their subtle approach expires; They rush past me with such a brazen disregard, their eyes wide upon seeing the forbidden, emerald cabbage.
They peck at such speed, diminishing everything in sight before I am able to stop them in their tracks. It requires two people to herd these free spirits back to their home, with my neighbour and I laughing along the way.
However defiant, her chickens and their amusing antics are welcome in my garden.
**Article continued on Page 2**
The original painting, ‘The Masked Invader’, is an acrylic painting on board. It is also double mounted, glazed & framed. It is at a discounted price as part of a special offer which supports local artists through the ‘Artists Support Pledge’.
The ‘Artists Support Pledge’ is an initiative that was started on the social media platform, Instagram, by artist Matthew Burrows. Artworks are offered for sale at £200 and under (plus postage). When an artist reaches a total of £1,000 of sales, they pledge to buy another artist’s work to keep the initiative going. Anyone, not just artists, can buy through this pledge, taking advantage of pieces specifically selected at reduced rates. Ultimately, it was a way to support artists at the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
‘The Masked Invader’ captures the mischievous quality of chickens, with this one caught mid-action. The use of texture in this painting further dramatises and adds to the sense of movement, like wind flying through the chicken’s feathers.
The Masked Invader: Framed
This painting is rather poignant as it was the first of Lisa Timmerman’s poultry paintings, from a rather comical tale which she shares with us:
“Anyone who has owned or watched hens will recognise the way they have different characters. We only had a few, but eventually we had to give them to our neighbour with a big chicken pen. We found wanting free range hens & living in the countryside is just fattening up tasty snacks for foxes unfortunately!
But they were free spirits & used to escape & wander in and out of my garden, often without me knowing.
I remember years ago being mystified as to which sort of creature was gnawing huge holes in the top of my cabbages in my vegetable garden. Then one day, from my painting studio, I saw this hungry hen dashing purposefully past! I turned the corner just in time to see this ‘masked invader’ pecking at some speed into my cabbage! Mystery solved!
I went back to my studio and painted ‘The Masked Invader’ in acrylics on a piece of MDF board. I painted it fast and scratchy to try to get the movement and character of the scene I had just witnessed.
I signed it ‘Lisa Timm’ as I did all of my first paintings from 2011-2012. I started painting full time from September 2011, and I shortened my signature to ‘Timm’ soon after.
That was the start of me painting hens & I have painted them on & off in one way of another squeezing them into my paintings as a dash of free spirit ever since!”
The Masked Invader: Interior Design Ideas
‘The Masked Invader’ is framed and for sale on Lisa’s website.
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