No Empty Chairs

The video below was put together by Rose Dall for a show that was hung at SVU. Also included are images of a few of the paintings in their frames, because they're such an important part of the whole experience. Each is unique. Pictures of the original owners of the chairs surround many of the frames, while others have notes on frames surrounding paintings in my father's handwriting. It felt so good to me to see those familiar and lovely faces surrounding the chair portraits. It was like a welcoming crowd of ancestors wanting to have a conversation. Some day I hope to sit down with all of them.

Link to Article on SVU show

"No Empty Chairs," Chair Portraits by Jennifer Babcock

Polly in Tangerine

The frame for this chair displays photos of my great aunt Polly, reminding me of her grace and beauty.

Blue Ogden

Surrounding this painting are pictures of my ancestors from Ogden, Utah. The chair was made by Isaac Newton Goodale, a pioneer and founder of Ogden.

Memorial

This was painted as a way to honor my dad on the 6th year after his passing. He loved this chair, which he called a high chair, even though it wasn't made for babies. It was made for younger children who were able to sit on their own, but weren't quite tall enough to reach the table. It came from my dad's family in Ogden. Hanging on the back is his favorite hat, woven from the wool of the sheep, which he wore when he was in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia in the 60's, and afterwards on special occasions. Leaning on the chair is his favorite walking stick. It's also from Ethiopia. My dad got it from a guide that was leading him through the mountains of Ethiopia. The guide used the top end to poke and stir the fire. The stick is gnarled beautiful. My dad said that the guide was reluctant to part with it, but in the end he gave it to my dad. He loved it and cared for it for the rest of his life. It still has a charred end.

Benjamin in Blue

My great grandfather Benjamin V. Marsh, sat in this chair at every meal. This chair was for him, and there was another one that my great grandmother liked to sit in. When these chairs went to live with my parents, my father sat in this one and my mother sat in the other. His and hers. Photos of them surround this painting.

Red Rocker

This white rocker (in red) sports a seat caned by my dad, a skill he learned after his retirement. The frame is covered by his famous yellow sticky notes, where he would put all of his thoughts and leave in strategic places throughout the house.

Russell

This painting is based off of a photograph of my dad when he was a baby. He's sitting in the chair that I have painted many times. It was made by his pioneer ancestor who ended up in Ogden, Utah. The chair must have been meaningful to the photographer, one of his parents. It looks like it was pulled out of an outbuilding, was covered in cobwebs, and has a broken arm at a crazy angle. It meant enough for them to put their little son in it, to remember the chair.

It was poignant and kind of strange for me to be painting this while looking at the photograph for reference, and then looking at the actual chair. It was already worn in the same places as it was when my dad was a baby. The rungs grooved where feet would go. The arm, fixed by a large headed nail, holding it in the right spot. My dad, as a baby. How time flies. Things last longer than people sometimes. But how fitting to have this painting in the midst of the other chair paintings I'm doing. The show is full of chairs that were meaningful to my dad in some way. It's for him, and here's his opportunity to be in it. The frame is covered with photographs of him as he grew up in Salt Lake City.

Marwin's Rocker

This is a portrait of my grandfather's rocking chair. At one point he replaced the seat, which accounts for the organic placing of the tacks. This was one of 3 places to sit in my grandfather's house. Otherwise, we sat on the floor, which we didn't mind too much. This frame is covered with photos of my grandfather. The picture was taken before I did glazing on it, so there are stark contrasts.

Group shot

You can get a glimpse of Marwin's Rocker with the frame completed in this photo.