Window Watch

Humble yard flowers of Madison, Connecticut were gathered and put into glass by the staff of a retreat center there. Several small arrangements graced the dining tables, so in between meals, I posed this one in a window frame of soft, cloudy day light. The name of the retreat center is “Mercy by the Sea”. I tried to show these flowers some of my own mercy by extending their lives in paint.
Trappist Jam

This jar of golden pineapple jam, home grown by the Trappists of the Philippines, made it to our USA breakfast table. Because it was so delicious, its existence was but a breakfast flash in the pan. At least it is memorialized here in paint.
Rest Stop

A room with a view! This cozy place was all prepared for the next guest, and much to my surprise, I was the next! So I hung my picture and staged the hat and flowers, but the room is as it is. It looks a bit different from Van Gogh’s painting of his rustic little room where he turned out a few of his works, but maybe we were both intrigued by interiors…places where people live and aspire.
Tomato Triad

Even though our land was parched for a good part of the summer, these tomatoes swollen with juice, seed, and ripened flavor made it to our table. They were kind enough to pose for me before sacrificing themselves to my lunchplate. I liked the way they reflected in the sheet of plastic underneath them. They made my day.
Intermission II

Here is a larger version of an earlier small painting sketch also posted on the blog. This ballerina is at momentary rest between scenes, and no doubt she is imagining her next dance before curtain call. Her long, graceful tulle gown helps create the unearthly world of the ballet. Dance has power to transport dancer and audience to loftier visions, and ballet in particular does this with its power to paint the stage in graceful, moving beauty.