The idea of an empty chair emerged during the search for a cover image for the Portrait issue. It's an image that also appears in some of the poems in this issue, especially Self-Portrait With Windsor Chair by Julian Brasington .
I liked the idea of an empty chair in which any of the portrait subjects in these poems could sit. I put out a call on Twitter for photos, paintings, drawings of empty chairs, and so many great and interesting responses arrived that after I'd chosen the cover illustration by Jeanann Moloney, I wanted to share the rest of the chairs with you too.
These are those chairs, and thank you to everyone who sent them.
Jason de Koff is an associate professor of agronomy and soil science at Tennessee State University. He lives in Nashville, TN with his wife, Jaclyn, and his two daughters, Tegan and Maizie. He has published in a number of scientific journals, and has over 40 poems published or forthcoming in literary journals this year. This photo was taken in an abandoned ranger station in the middle of the Bayou.
Jo Bratten
Jennifer Shear is an artist based in Montana. She writes and illustrates children’s books and loves to draw flowers. Jennifer is most inspired by her family and enjoys reading almost anything, although short stories are her favorite. She has published several children’s books and is currently working on a YA series. I actually found Jennifer's wonderful illustrations of chairs on her Instagram.
Tyrel Kessinger is a writer from Louisville, Ky and found these chairs whilst his children were taking dance lessons in an otherwise empty dance studio.
Milou Stella is an artist and writer based in London. Twitter @HapSnark
James Nixon Twitter @james_a_nixon
Elodie Barnes is a poet, reviewer and essayist. She can be found writing in Paris, Spain or the UK (usually mixing up her languages), and always takes her camera along for the ride. These chairs were spotted on various wanderings around her favourite Paris streets and parks. Find her online at http://elodierosebarnes.weebly.com and on Twitter @BarnesElodie
Tucker Lieberman spotted this fabric chair in a design store in Bogotá, Colombia. The chair currently resides in a sunny corner of his apartment where he has written three nonfiction books. www.tuckerlieberman.com
Dorothy Burrows enjoys writing poetry, flash fiction and short plays. She also likes sitting on old chairs. She tweets @rambling_dot
Noah Kwid, gouache on paper. Noah is a CA based artist/musician.
Time Out by Krystal A. Smith
Nikki Bausch is an American writer and visual artist based in Vienna, Austria. More of her visual work can be found on her Instagram, @ArcanaArdatLili, or on Twitter as @ArcanaLili. She has written works forthcoming in Anti-Heroin Chic and Cauldron Anthology. The chair photos were taken at Home Icelandic Cafe and Coffee Pirates: both cafes are located in Vienna and on the same street
Palak Tewary, an Indian-born Londoner, is a management and finance professional, who along with being an ardent writer, is a travel buff & photography/videography enthusiast. She blogs at www.palaktewary.com and her work has been published on various platforms. She is now focusing on writing books, articles, short stories and poetry. Connect with her on YouTube/ Twitter/ Instagram on @palaktewary
Cath Barton is a writer who lives in Wales. She re-upholstered this chair to go in the garden room which her husband built for them as a reading and writing retreat.
Greg Vessar
Unexpected throne~
on a deserted old road~
rest 'dem weary bones!
by Greg Vessar