abundance
Having been so immersed in learning portraiture and figure techniques, I thought I should shake it up a bit and try my hand at a still life. It has been a while since I’ve painted this genre and I needed a little change.
I was inspired by the plentiful supply of fresh figs ripening on our backyard tree, welcoming my family back from a much-needed vacation this summer. It's amazing how we can be so much more open and sensitive to our surroundings when we have a chance to rest. The feeling of abundance and fortune that I felt from these silly little fruits seemed worth capturing in a joyful painting.
Perhaps subconsciously, it felt fitting to focus on a subject that reminds me of the messages of the Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) holiday that occurs this time of year. In the holiday tradition, one is meant to enjoy seasonal “new fruit” to bring in a fresh year with a threads of gratitude for the abundant life our world can provides us.
My approach to this painting was a bit as if it it were a portrait itself. I observed the warm/cool relationships on the form and “skin”, just as I would on the human figure. Each fruit took on a personality of its own - some more playful, some shy, and some more dominant - all connected and more impactful together.
Enjoy…
If you are interested in seeing some of my process in creating this painting, view my fun little reel on instagram...
