Tangerine Leaves

Can you believe that I found a tangerine with leaves, here in Edmonton, Canada?  I could not believe my luck when I was in the 'Italian Center' store and there was a box full of these fun shaped tangerines with stems and leaves!  Some of the fruit had patches of orange along with soft shades of green which blended nicely with the green leaves.  It was surprising to feel the texture of the leaves... soft, supple yet leathery... not what I expected.  As I checked out at the till the clerk said that quite a few people were purchasing them because they wanted the leaves attached for display purposes...  I was the first one to tell her I wanted to paint them.  But she said that everyone who purchased them told her to be careful not to ruin the leaves, or break them off putting them into our shopping bags.
I haven't eaten one yet, so I can't vouch for their flavour... who cares... they look too pretty to eat!

$75.00, 10x8 oil on canvas (need some drying time)

Pepper Scape Too

A second pepper scape of a different pepper.  The peppers from today and yesterday are the same 'whole' peppers used in my post 'Red Elegance', from November 18.
Peppers were introduced to Spain in 1493 from the Americas and the Spanish have always called the hot peppers 'chili' (from Chile). To the spice conscious Spanish, the pepper was an unexpected and most welcome find.  Perhaps, they could be considered 'red gold'...

In the 17th century peppers were taken to India and Southeast Asia by the Portuguese.  Peppers became so common there that their American origins were long forgotten, despite the fact that in India they are all consistently called 'chillies'.

$75.00, 8x10 oil on canvas (needs some drying time)

Pepper Scape

The interior of fruits and vegetables intrigues me.  Unique 'scapes' created from the seeds, pulp and flesh of each specimen.  Worlds unto themselves, waiting to be discovered.

I feel another series coming on...

A couple of years ago I purchased a microscope and had many hours of fun viewing bits and pieces of plant material for my abstract work. Fascinated by what I discovered... time slipped by... I was mesmerized for hours checking out all the nuances of textures and shapes that were revealed through the lens.  Yes, it's time once again to dig out that microscope and have look.

I think I feel a number of series coming on...

SOLD

$75.00, 8x10, oil on canvas (needs some drying time)

Red Elegance

These two red peppers fit together like spoons.  Their soft curves accentuate the golden toned designs embossed in this swatch of burgundy fabric.  Peppers are not a vegetable (I think they are really in the fruit family...) I would normally associate with elegance; but when I placed them on this piece of cloth their forms flowed together with the jacquard pattern... oozing elegance... red elegance.

$95.00, 9x12 oil on canvas (needs some drying time)

Lemons with Stripes

Lemons with Stripes is a simple composition of objects/subject matter... yet if we delve a little deeper we are rewarded with some interesting trivia.   I mentioned that I am doing research into the history, use and significance of the stripe, which has taken me in many different directions.  Subjects that at first seem not to be related are woven together with invisible threads.
The stripe took on a hygienic meaning which could be why many objects associated with cleanliness became striped, such as the tea towel, dish cloth, table cloth, diner napkin... and of course the fresh scent of a lemon is associated with cleanliness as well as being an important ingredient in numerous tasty recipes.
So even though these two objects create a simple, pleasing little still-life painting, you can now see a few of the connecting threads...

$95.00, 12x9, oil on canvas (needs some drying time)

Aztec Gold

(Below is a close-up to view paint texture for Aztec Gold)

The petals of this vibrant tangerine coloured gerbera radiate out from the centre like rays of sunshine... or gold.  The Aztec people were conquered by the Spaniards in the 1500's. In search of fortune, especially gold, the Spaniards' greed led them to believe the Aztecs had vast amounts of golden treasure.

My research tells me that the Aztecs possessed more knowledge of metallurgy than perhaps gold... Yes they mined gold and silver, but also copper.  It seems they discovered a process to create beautiful treasures of 'pure gold', (or so the Spaniards believed) by using mostly copper and a small amount of gold, a product called 'Tumbaga', to create exquisite objects.  The Conquistadors were dupped!  The lesson learned... "all that glitters is not gold."


SOLD
$95.00, 9x12 oil on canvas (needs some drying time)

Different Paths

Stripes have quite the history.  They have taken many different paths... being in and out of fashion at various times. Stripes were very popular with the court jesters in medieval times, and evolved into the favourite fabric selection for the modern day jester character, the 'clown'.  Thankfully, stripes became quite fashionable in the 1780's, after the American Revolution and have remained a popular design choice in all classes of society.  A unique motif... sometimes complex... sometimes simple... sometimes subtle, but always special.

$95.00, 12x9, oil on canvas (needs some drying time)