986 Family Portrait

 

Some days are better than others, and on the particular day I painted this, my husband and I needed some levity.  Yesterday's practice on First Pick of the Season was good prep for this one.  Hope it brings you a smile today.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/986-family-portrait/822574

985 First Pick of the Season

 

I have two eggplant plants in my rooftop garden, one of them is this variety and the other is a Japanese elongated eggplant.  This is the first pick of this variety.  My two favorite eggplant dishes are Baba Ghannough, a Lebanese dip made with garlic, eggplant and tahini, and Eggplant Parmesan, which my mother-in-law taught me to make.  This one and those that come after are destined for Eggplant Parm. and my mouth is watering just thinking of it.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/985-first-pick-of-the-season/822377

981 Freshly Picked

It is very exciting for me to grow my own vegetables in my garden.  In this case, these went directly into my studio for my still life set up.  I couldn't dawdle because the fresh vegetables don't stay fresh for very long.

Gardening and painting are my two favorite pastimes, as if you couldn't tell.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/981-freshly-picked/817548 

919 Technically Fruits

While I normally paint fruit and veggies in a blue and white bowl, my handmade lopsided "Made in Italy" bowl is a better compliment to the eggplants.

I'm sure you already knew that tomatoes are technically not vegetables, but did you also know that neither are eggplants?  Both contain seeds and grow from a flowering plant, therefore making them fruits.  I was curious to know if there are other "vegetables" that  have seeds and grow from a flowering plant, such as cucumbers, squash, watermelons, etc. are also fruits, and YES, they are FRUITS!!  The list also includes peppers, olives, pumpkins, avacados and peapods.

There is so much to learn!!!

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/919-technically-fruits/731846

700 Simple Joys

Two Saturdays ago, the Art Ladies visited the Taos Farmer's Market with the mission to purchase items for our still lifes, which we later set up at the Hacienda del Sol courtyards to paint.  It was interesting to see what the others purchased and even more fun to see their set ups.  My stash consisted of these flowers, two eggplants and a beautiful bunch of green onions, some of which made it into this still life.  Ha!  I bet you thought they were leaves of some sort.  The black and white dotted table covering is my scarf, and the container for the flowers is a sturdy coffee mug I purchased for my husband.  Even more fun to see was that all of our veggie purchases made it into the next morning's breakfast, prepared by Chef Gerd.    All in all, it was a glorious day.

"700 Simple Joys"
acrylic - 20x20 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/700-simple-joys/417625

691 You Look Lovely Today

The eggplants from Springdale Farm were so beautiful that I wish I had painted a different view of them so that more of the color showed.  One of them is gigantic and the other much smaller, so they looked like Mutt and Jeff, whoever they are.

The complementary palette is my favorite.

"691 You Look Lovely Today"
acrylic - 7x5 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/691-you-look-lovely-today/413340

667 Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

"667 Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/667-ashes-ashes-we-all-fall-down/404488

666 Competition

Another still life, complements of the weekly TSA farm box.  This onion is gigantic.

"666 Competition"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/666-competition/404219

664 Farm Fresh

During the summers, we purchase a box of vegetables from Springdale Farm, and we are never disappointed.  Not only do we receive organically grown produce which is so tasty and fresh, but I am supplied with an abundance of still life material.  I love the way the vegetables (yes, I know tomatoes are a fruit) look on this MacKenzie -Childs platter, which I won in a charity raffle.  I may have to someday paint this in larger format.

"664 Farm Fresh"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/664-farm-fresh/403768

612 Aubergine

The little Indian eggplants still interest me.  I love their color, shape and sizes.  Unfortunately, by the time I finish with them, they may be past their prime of freshness.  Maybe I will make baba ghanouj with them tomorrow. 

"612 Aubergine"
acrylic - 6x8 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/612-aubrgine/374772

570 Eggplant in a Door County Bowl

I bought this hand made bowl in Door County last summer and I really love how the color of the eggplant compliments the free form stripe of the bowl.  I haven't been able to find much else to stage in this bowl that looks quite right for a painting.  I painted a similar set up once before, but wanted to try it again.
"570 Eggplant in a Door County Bowl"
acrylic - 5x7 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/570-eggplant-in-a-door-county-bowl/352776

482 Eggplant in a New Blue Bowl

You will obviously gather from the title that this is a new bowl, which I purchased at the Whitefish Bay Farm gallery in Door County when we painted there en plein air in early-September.  There were so many beautiful bowls and other items, including hand spun and dyed yarn,  that it was hard to choose what to buy.  I love the dark stripe in this bowl, calling out for an eggplant, and the irregular colors of the glaze. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/482-eggplant-in-a-new-blue-bowl/274293

479 Eggplant Variety in a Yellow Bowl

I believe these are Asian eggplants, and I bought them from the farmers market because I thought they were so pretty. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/479-eggplant-variety-in-a-yellow-bowl/273533

478 Capanata in the Making

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/478-capanata-in-the-making/273328

167 This Little Piggy Went To Market

Silly me.

166 A Gift of Still Life

A friend gave me three eggplants and a sunflower from her Chicago roof top garden.  What more could I ask for? -- a beautiful flower,  a new variety of eggplant, and a complimentary palette.
(Please excuse the poor quality photo.  It's a gloomy day and I cannot get the colors right even with manual adjustments.)