Such a fun project!
Before I explain these two paintings, first you need to read the letter below to understand how they came about.
Ahhhh...
Clever!
My painting partner Julie (You'll have to have a look at her paintings. Click JujuBee Paints to have a look.) was invited to be a part of this upcoming exhibit. All we had to do was think up a great idea... tick... tock... chirp... chirp... nothing... and the deadline for submissions was drawing closer and closer.
Then... Ah ha ha!!! An idea appeared!
- 1st - We decided that we wanted our paintings to have some commonalities... similar theme or type or size or color palette.
- 2nd - We talked about logistics of being able to complete this project and set some goals. We'd complete first phase in the first sitting and commit to finish the next part by the end of the week.
- 3rd - We settled on doing a fruit still life and looked through reference photos. When we came across the spilled basket of peaches and remembered that we'd seen a spilled basket of strawberries, we knew that was it. (Ok, I also had a photo of a spilled basket of limes, which I almost picked, and a spilled basket of cherries. Clearly I have a thing for spilled fruit... I do know why... It's because I so love the painting at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art by Thomas Decker. Click. A trip through the museum isn't complete without taking a minute to stand in front of it.)
- 4th - We basically turned our backs on each other and began the backgrounds. We didn't discuss what colors we'd use or what style we'd paint in. Now, we weren't in any way trying to trick each other or to make it difficult for the other. We each decided what we thought would look the very best with the subject that would come next.
- 5th - At the end of the evening (ha ha ha) with lots of giggling, we switched canvases. Julie went home to put the basket of strawberries on my background, and I put Julie's background on my easel to put the basket of peaches on it.
Thank you to Jan Brandt for inviting Julie to participate!
Thank you to Julie for inviting me to be her collaborator!
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Basket and Peaches by Helen Eaton
Background by Julie Brandt
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Basket and Strawberries by Julie Brandt
Background by Helen Eaton
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Original Oil Paintings on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas
Both paintings will be on display and for sale at TWOGETHER at Jan Brandt Gallery in Bloomington, Illinois.
Such a beautiful collaboration! This can happen only when you are in the same zone and similar vibrations, what a fun experience!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I wonder though... Our two styles are so similar that you can hardly tell that it was a collaboration. I wonder what it would be like to do a collaboration with someone whose style is completely opposite. Would it be intriguing? or just a mess? Ha ha
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