The older I get, the more I appreciate fall. I think that during my first 50 years, I was just too busy during fall to notice it... back to school and getting the year going, parent conferences to hold, band practice to get kids to, football games to attend, Fall Harvest events... I'd see a senior adult fall foliage trip in the church bulletin and wonder who would drive around for no reason. Now I think, "Honey, want to go for a drive to see the leaves?"
Our Creative Companions challenge was "It's Fall, Y'all." I've painted so many autumn landscapes... I've painted pumpkins and gourds and colorful leaves and scarecrows and candy corn... What else says "fall" when you see it? Ahhh... or taste it!
Next, I got my grandson to come with me in his little jeep to carry the big pumpkin home.
I carefully cut a slice, added a perfect dollop (great word) of whipped cream, and set up the still life. I took a ridiculous number of photos (this way, that way, move the plate, move the pumpkin, blur the back, don't blur, add a fork, take away the fork, reshape the dollop, turn the plate, move the lamp for a better reflection of the pan on the table...)
Finally, Ron could enjoy eating the slice of pie (I'm not a fan.) and I could choose the right photo then put paint and brush to canvas.
Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas
Click Pumpkin Pie if you'd like to purchase this painting.
Who even bakes pumpkin pie? Me!! What kind of paint did you use on your leaves? LOVE that leaf stamping, Helen! Mine never turn out that well.
ReplyDeleteAhhh!!! A real pumpkin pie baker! I bet yours are delicious!
DeleteWell, I did practice with a few different ways of doing the leaf stamping. In the end, I painted the backs of the leaves with acrylic and pressed them onto the page. Then I waited 5-10 minutes and used watercolor inside the leaves. That way the acrylic had dried showing all the veins, and the watercolor filled in the rest. It worked!
Haha, love that you borrowed a pumpkin! That looks every bit as good a real. I bake pumpkin pie every year just for Hubs and me, because the kids don't care for it. It's a texture thing they say. It isn't my favorite pie, but I like it OK, and there is crust, which is the real treat for me.
ReplyDeleteHow did I miss fall growing up in northeastern Oklahoma? It wasn't until our honeymoon, when we drove backroads through the hills of Arkansas and Missouri, that I fell in love with fall and have been ever since.
You just come on back over to Northwest Arkansas anytime for a fall color treat.
DeleteI will eat pumpkin pie but without cream and because it's there...Now any other kind of berry or lemon meringue...I'm all over it. I have found a new appreciation for Fall since we moved back to southwestern Ontario where it's a completely different forest with such a riot of fabulous vibrant colours. The grass seems to be extra-green (maybe the higher rainfall?) and makes the colours that much better.
ReplyDeleteI'm grateful to live in a place that has all four seasons.
DeleteI love fall! My favorite season and colors... blue against shades of warmth
ReplyDeletegreat story Helen, and love the painting, great shading and the reflection! LeeAnna
Thanks! I try to never underestimate the importance of shadows and reflections!
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