The Homecoming (30x30cm)
**Words by Amber L-J**
Everyday, the hens come home to safety before dark.
I call for my hens in high whistling tones, bent down and patting my thighs eagerly. With a bucket of chicken feed in one hand, and a steaming camomile tea in the other, I wait on the pathway at the bottom of the meadow.
The yellow rose bush grows outward, distinguished from the verdant landscape. Reclining upon the railings of the fence, they welcome me back whilst refusing to be ignored. The warmth from their open petals cause my smile.
I soon see red feathers and orange beaks peak over the top of the hill. The chickens find happiness in their freedom to roam far in these fields, with the exception of feeding time.
These hens leave their haven and rush towards me. With the wind entangled in their feathers, thrust backward and creating resistance, some fall behind. However, a steady stream flows downward.
In the low sun, my squinting eyes make out dark shadows on the green pasture, with their legs strutting at such a speed they seem to disappear.
With their initial stealth achieved on the soft grass, the pitter patter of their claws is soon heard overlapping on the concrete path.
I scoop one of these hens in my arms, both of us making mutual noises of glee. Once she is placed down, I reach into the bucket.
I tentatively hold my hand out, with a pile of chicken feed cupped inside, to be gently pecked at by the hens at all directions, encircling me.
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‘The Homecoming’ was originally an acrylic painting on canvas, which was sold at the Chelsea Town Hall ‘Parallax’ Art Fair in 2012. Since this, it has been sold as a limited edition of fifty fine art giclée prints, with the option to have it framed on Lisa Timmerman’s website.
Giclée prints are not like a normal print that will fade in time. Rather, this type of print retains the intensity of colour just like the original painting, which has been scanned to produce them. Printed onto thick etching type paper, almost like card, these prints are the perfect alternative when the original painting has already sold.
With approximately twenty sales of ‘The Homecoming’ to date, Lisa claims this to be her most popular print:
“It’s amazed me how popular it’s been, I painted it really early on [in my career] and I remember I was really pleased with it!”
One could argue that the viewer plays an optimal role in this painting, as if being greeted by a brood of welcoming hens. With many of Lisa’s audience commenting on its heavenly qualities, as if entering the gates of heaven, this painting radiates blissful light and optimism. Similarly, Lisa has positive associations of joyful, family reunion with this print:
“[This image] seems to mean lots of different things to different people […] it always made me think of my boys coming home from university, like homing hens!”
The Homecoming: Framed & Interior Design Ideas
‘The Homecoming’, along with the option of framing, is available to purchase from Lisa Timmerman’s website.
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