One Apple: A Small Study

Apples come in so many shapes, sizes and colors but there are some quintessential elements that make the fruit readily recognizable. Perhaps this is what makes apples so attractive when grade school children practice their early artistic skills.

For the more mature of us, apples can be challenging and rewarding at the same time. In this small study, I have tried to use a limited number of colors and few brushstrokes to schieve the likeness of an apple. This is in practice for a bigger still life I intend to do but which scares me each time I face the canvas. Though quite elementary, doing this piece has helped me get greater confidence.

One Apple, Acrylic on canvas board, 5"x7", not for sale

Hot and Sour

A recent post from Carol Schiff, in which she confessed to being a still life painter all along encouraged me to experiment with my first still life. The inspiration for the contents came from my other creative endeavor -- cooking. Like my mother, I have never followed recipes which allows a lot of freedom to experiment with combinations of flavors and foods without regard to a "rule book" (kind of like art in a way).

I mostly do Indian, Italian and modern American style cooking, often blending various ethnic flavors with traditional dishes. Needless to say, hot and sour flavors abound in my kitchen. I avoided working on this painting while hungry so as to avoid salivating over it! It kept reminding me of a dish I make sometimes that consists of pasta with sun-dried tomatoes tossed with chilli oil and lemon juice dressing. It truly is to die for.

Anyway, here is my first still life attempt and I would love to hear your comments.

Hot and Sour, Acrylic on gesso board, 11'x14', $100 (unframed)

Lupins in Close-up

One of the most beautiful sights when driving through eastern Canada, especially New Brunswick, is the profusion of wild lupins growing by the roadside. Though the flowers are themselves rather small, they tend to cover large expanses which creates a strong visual impact.

Roadside Beauties is representative of New Brunswick lupins but with a low and up-close perspective. Obviously this exaggerates their size relative to the background but makes them the most prominent part of the picture. Wild lupins typically tend to be in the blue-red hues with a multitude of shades in between.

Roadside Beauties, Acrylic on 140lb paper, 4"x6", $25 (unframed)