Who says fruits & veggies are just for eating?

Still life paintings have always been a favorite subject for artists. Some painters, like my friend Joyce, paint floral arrangements exclusively. But others prefer fruits and vegetables. Why? 

In my own case, I love the organic shape of "produce." I actually spent a few years just painting pears!
For those of us who are colorists, you can’t beat the hues of fruits and veggies. I’m drawn to these objects in a seasonal way, and seem to want to paint them in summer and fall when they are fresh at a farmers’ market.

From the August Garden  44"x48"  acrylic on canvas
by Stephen Morath

Stephen Morath depicts edible arrangements in a classical, Italian style, yet his colors are so much more vibrant. He told me that he likes to garden and be amongst the fruits and vegetables he grows, and also is inspired to paint them in late summer and fall. depicts edible arrangements in a classical, Italian style, yet his colors are so much more vibrant. He told me that he likes to garden and be amongst the fruits and vegetables he grows, and also is inspired to paint them in late summer and fall.

Peppers and Apples  36"x40"  acrylic on canvas
by Stephen Morath

"I like to grow some exotic squash like crooked neck and paddy pan because of their unique shapes," he said. I guess I’m always thinking of how they would look in a painting."

I definitely agree with Stephen when he said that painting fruits and vegetables is a respite from more complicated works. However, his still life paintings are anything but simple. As you can see in "From the August Garden," considerable work has gone into arranging and painting this assortment of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

I can sense the bounty of a late summer harvest when I look at it. His excellent rendering of the cool blue and white cloth napkin, teacup and knife are a wonderful contrast to the colorful produce on the table. In his painting entitled "Peppers and Apples," Stephen focuses on the interesting shapes and colors of curvy peppers, placed among round apples and bright yellow sunflowers.

Standing in Blue 46"x40" oil on canvas
by Linda Carter Holman



 

For Linda Carter Holman, fruits are a secondary element in her paintings – part of the setting she creates.

"When I plan a painting, I often think about creating a party, so there’s always a person, sometimes an animal, a table with flowers and some fruit," she said. "I use accessories that have meaning to me and create an inviting environment."

You can see a typical scene Linda creates in her painting entitled "Standing in Blue."
There are times, however, when produce takes front stage in Linda’s painting.

The bowl in "Mystery of Life Four" is the focal point, full of luscious fruits. But Linda still creates a setting, with some of her favorite "accessories" such as the love birds perched on the bowl and the goldfish vase with calla lilies.

Mystery of Life Four 24"x36" oil on canvas
by Linda Carter Holman

It’s a little too early for produce inspiration, but watch out for other beautiful still life paintings later in the summer!