Friday, February 26, 2010

Pumpkin Story

Here is one spectacular pumpkin; so beautiful that I didn't want to carve it as a jack o'lantern on Halloween. I kept it in my fruit cellar over the winter, waiting for the time when I could draw or paint it before consuming it in various delicious recipes. This is the story of a life well-lived of a legume! As I said, it started its career as an uncarved pumpkin porch decoration for Halloween.

Finally the day came when I did a drawing. It's so large, it filled the paper. There wasn't a bad angle!

Renee Flanders
Pumpkin
9" x 12"
graphite on paper
2010


Renee Flanders
Pumpkin
12" x 12"
oil and encaustic on canvas
2010
I called the produce department at a local grocery, to see if there was any reason not to consume my aged pumpkin. The grocer exclaimed to the others around him, "She still has her Halloween pumpkin!" He assured me that it would be fine to eat. I chose 3 recipes to prepare: Lentils and Pumpkin (Morocco), Pumpkin Salad (Sicily), and Pumpkin Squash Soup (Provence). I liked them all equally well! The remains of the pumpkin have retired to the compost heap. It will be reborn again in another entity.
Then, I did a painting of the pumpkin. Again, it more than filled the canvas. This painting is about the impression of my large pumpkin: orange and edges!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Birthday Celebration

Well, today is my birthday, and a day to celebrate! All I can say is that the older I get, the happier I am!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Green Wall

As a harbinger to spring, Growing Green Inc., hosted 3 evening opportunities to view a fantastic new planting system. Their showroom itself is wonderful to visit, with a warm welcome from all the staff and resident dogs. Located at 3954 West Pine Blvd., Growing Green is housed in an historic building at least 100 yrs. old. It has been maintained well over the years and was restored with great respect. It was a fun evening to socialize with colleagues and nibble (or rather gorge) on delicious morsels from the fabulous restaurant Five.

Upon entry, one sees a wall of greenery, alive and rich with color and texture. The components are simple: individual plants with a drip irrigation system and waterproof membrane.
The benefits of a Greenwall Modular Planting System are many: thermal regulation - reduction in heat gain, sound insulation and privacy, air filtration, stormwater management, and much, much more! They can be installed indoors or outdoors in nearly any climatic conditions. I especially like that they can be designed to personalize your very own space.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Art from the Heart

I love Pop Art, and Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate with colorful, stereotypical heart shapes! Here we have the flat, simple outline of the heart.

Jim Dine, "hearts"
Dine is very orderly with his composition of multiple hearts on an ambiguous gray cloud.
Any Warhol, "heart c 1979 (red on black)
Andy mixes it up a bit by running the heart over the page edges.

Finally, Dine gets figurative and gets away from the 2-D. Plainly passionate!
Jim Dine , "hearts"

Friday, February 12, 2010

A Big Heart

Valentine's Day Party!



Susan Fadem, writer, editor, and jewelry designer
So when you have a heart as big as Susan's, you have a party! And what better day to gear up for than Valentine's Day!


The night was very snowy, with already 7" on the ground.  That did not stop the revelers!

Crystal Jackson, artist
Crystal Jackson generously drew portraits the whole night long!


Another sweetheart, my daughter Emily's junior kindergarten teacher at Beasley School, Meg Richardson.  She will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart.

Meg Richardson & Yours Truly

Monday, February 8, 2010

Visual Inspirations and Translations

When I'm out and about, I'll see something that strikes me as a perfect color scheme, or I'll see a variety of textures that I want to simulate in my interior design work. These photos don't do justice to what I saw, but I show them to share with you my creative meanderings. The first image struck me for the never-failing orange and teal combination. I also like the bronze color light fixture, the concrete floor pad, and the graphic stencil of the number 2. I could imagine this being translated in another way with paints, fabrics, stones and metals.

Somebody had propped this plywood sheet against a tree. It had a lot of nice gradations of creams, browns, golds, grays, whites, and a shot of black. Not bad as a compostion on its own!