Onion Afterthought

Onion Afterthought   Watercolor on Khadi   10 x 14

For me, a still life painting is a way to get back to basics without an overload of emotional attachment.  We can learn about value patterns and their linkage.  And there is no one to offend.  And, for me, the still life work is a bit of an offshoot of my other life in the kitchen.  The onion, for example.  Its amazing flavor is the basis for many great meals.  The variety abounds.  And, given the abundance of options at the market today, we can experience the marvels of leeks and shallots.  Visually, they are expansive in color, shape and texture.  This kept my interest in this work which was painted on Khadi paper.  Khadi provides an interesting texture to the paint which should probably be considered in selected appropriate subject matters.  I am happy with this work and am thrilled with both the color and the shapes of the leek leaves.  And, I guess that the rich dark backgrounds seem appropriate for the richness and strength of the subject matter.

Grilled, fried, sliced, diced and painted....an epicurean delight.

To Market To Market

Mission Grocer   oil on canvas   48 x 24 x 1.5

Harvest season is alive with color, texture, and all of the possibilities inherent in the preparation of fruits and vegetables that have completed their growth!  We just recently polished off a spectacular jar of bread and butter pickles canned by friend and artist Jance Lentz Hatch.  What a treat!  "Mission Grocer" was painted from reference photos and sketches done on a trip to San Francisco, where small mom and pop markets seem to populate most neighborhoods.  No vehicle necessary!  Baskets of wonders dot the sidewalks in front.  This work can be seen in the Group Ten Gallery 2nd Anniversary Exhibition currently on exhibit.  Colors and textures for all seasons...............come on along.

Pot of Potatoes

Pot of Potatoes   watercolor   13 x 17

Sometimes life is just a pot of potatoes....common and not so extraordinary. Artists such as myself often paint ordinary objects in our daily lives, and through the work of their keen sensitivities, elevate the daily into the monumental. There are many such paintings in every exhibit. Luckily, we, as individuals, see things in our own personal and subjective ways. That is what makes for a varied and interesting existence. So..............when a judge comes to town and selects work for exhibit, he/she brings with her/him, her/his past experiences and notions of the extraordinary. It breaks my heart to see work that I consider to be wondrous excluded from the exhibit. (Competition is actually a left-brained notion to which we right-brained artists continually subject ourselves). I guess I think that in the final run, we artists have to determine for ourselves our own sense of extraordinary and hold fast to it, regardless of outside opinion. We take responsibility for our work. We are our own best critics. Hard to do. "Pot of Potatoes" was painted many years ago. I love love love it, despite the fact that it has never gotten much attention from anyone else.