A Taste of Honey
I don't know anything about honey that doesn't make a person feel good. Whether it is cooking with it, or pouring it over ice-cream, or putting it in a warm shot of bourbon to sooth a winter cold, honey just feels good. So as we go through the short, gray days of January, I thought I would share this painting with you.
One summer, I would meet several of my artist friends every Tuesday at the local farmers market, and we would paint. I have an entire collection of paintings from those farmer market experiences. There just seemed to be an atmosphere of congeniality and excitement among the vendors and the shoppers, and they embraced us being there among them. Some days it was all about the people, but for this painting it was all about the colors...the gold honey, the bright yellow tablecloth, the red of the label, and the purples and blues of the cast shadows were irresistible. They just made you feel the warmth of that summer day.
But there is another reason for sharing this particular painting. I love art history and the studying of the works of famous artists. I taught years of Art Appreciation classes and have always incorporated famous artist's works into my studio classes. When I look at this painting I realize the influence of the Pop artist, Wayne Thiebaud. To look at the paintings of Wayne Thiebaud it is like walking through a Bakery and Candy Store. He has a way with color and shadow that seemed simplistic but had a way of drawing you into it the way a tray of iced cupcakes draws in a child to pick one up. I used Thiebaud's paintings as inspiration in my watercolor class this past Fall. They all loved working in his style. In November we took a break from class for the holidays. Not long after Christmas, I received text messages from several of my students saying, "Wayne Thiebaud died!" He died on Christmas day. We went back and forth with messages about his works and the loss to the art world. The last text came with the message..."He was 101!" All I could think was, Wow! What a wonderful and fruitful life. If you don't know his works, I invite you to take a look. They will have the same effect on you that I hope this painting does, to warm you soul.
So on this January day, I share with you a tribute to Wayne Thiebaud and my painting, A Taste of Honey.
Thanks for connecting,
Cissy
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