There are several stages to any painting: the first is the idea in your head, all gorgeous and perfect and screaming to be put on paper; the last is the end when you lay down your tools and step back to see if you accomplished your mission. After joining a farm co-op recently and getting deliveries of fresh produce every week, my head was swimming with ideas for beautifully painted vegetables. These are organic and fresh-picked so they have all the beautiful flaws and odd sizes and gorgeous colors that come with home-grown. So last week I pulled out the tiny carrots and the bundle of onions and sat down to create those masterpieces.
Several days later my veggies had gone limp and I still was not satisfied. I think my error was right at the beginning when the layout of the vegetables did not adequately fill up my 8 x 6 space. Had this been watercolor on paper, or pastel, all I would need to do is pull out the scissors and take a nip here and there to make a more pleasing arrangement of object and space. But these were done on cradled board which could not be cut.
So I let them sit a while (and mourned the loss of the edibles). Finally it occurred to me that I could totally change direction and fill up the space with something else: words. At least it would be a relatively easy way to see if I could salvage the previous effort. Checking on-line for short recipes I came up with two and decided to add them to the painting. See what you think:
The recipes changed the entire look of the work and while it added some levity to the format I have decided that it was not a bad rescue. I think they would be perfect in a kitchen or a hallway to such.
Each board is 8" x 6"
cradled with 1/2" edge painted green so
that no frames are needed
My goof can be your bargain: I'll sell the pair for $139.00
which INCLUDES shipping!
Just contact me: art@cindymichaud.com
